MYNORTHWEST NEWS

State troopers trying to find rock thrower along I-90

Jun 4, 2021, 3:31 PM | Updated: 3:33 pm

I-90 rock thrower...

I-90 at 18th, near where someone was spotted tossing rocks onto cars below. (WSDOT)

(WSDOT)

The Washington State Patrol is trying to track down a person spotted throwing rocks onto I-90 early Friday morning.

Rocks thrown onto I-90 injure two people, damage cars

Washington State Department of Transportation cameras showed the person throwing rocks at passing cars from a spot near Rainier Ave. around 5 a.m.

“A couple troopers chased him on foot, but were not able to apprehend him, ” Trooper Rick Johnson told KIRO Radio.

There were no reports of injuries or damage.

Trooper Johnson said state patrol is working with WSDOT to turn the camera to get a better view of the area.

Over the last few weeks, rocks, bikes, scooters, and rebar have been thrown into traffic in the same area.

“The individual that we arrested a couple of weeks ago was in mental distress,” Johnson said. “I can’t say that’s the same thing happening here. That’s the majority of the people we contact. We obviously want to give them help, but we also need the public to be safe driving along the freeway.”

At least two people were injured Tuesday night when someone threw rocks and other debris onto the freeway. A rock went through a car windshield and hit the driver in the shoulder. She was taken to a local hospital.

Hours later, a second car was hit by a rock or other debris that injured a passenger, who declined to be transferred to a hospital.

“We’ve had 46 (similar) calls into the downtown core area,” Johnson said on Thursday.

Throwing objects at cars is a crime ranging from a misdemeanor offense to felony assault if it results in severe injuries.

KIRO 7 reports that someone tossed a rental bicycle from the Denny overpass onto I-5 and into the path of oncoming traffic. The bike hit a man’s car but missed crashing through the windshield. He told KIRO 7 that the bike did $15,000 in damage.

KIRO Radio’s Heather Bosch and the KIRO Radio Newsdesk contributed to this story.

MyNorthwest News

teachers pay wa grades...

Charlie Harger

Harger: WA pays teachers top dollar for middling test scores. Maybe we’re grading the wrong thing

Top-tier pay. Record spending. Average results. Why Washington should offer families a real vocational track alongside the traditional college path.

56 minutes ago

Renton camping ban vote...

Heather Bosch, KIRO 7 News

Renton City Council to vote on camping ban

Renton is poised to become the next Washington State city to ban camping on public property.

1 hour ago

light rail stabbing pioneer square...

Frank Lenzi

Stabbing victim boards Sound Transit light rail train in Seattle’s Pioneer Square

A person was stabbed in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood late Sunday afternoon and then boarded a northbound Sound Transit light rail train before first responders could intervene, the agency said.

12 hours ago

Andre Sayles (2) bite of seattle shooting suspect...

Tom Brock

Texts on hold: SPD delays Bite of Seattle shooting records

Interim Seattle Police Chief Andre Sayles says he needs more time before he can release the police department's internal communications the night of the deadly "Bite of Seattle" shootings.

17 hours ago

A Coast Guard rescue helicopter lifts an injured hiker to safety from Oregon's Three Sisters Wilder...

Tom Brock

Hoist in the high Cascades: Coast Guard lifts injured hiker from treacherous Oregon mountaintop

A Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued an injured hiker from treacherous conditions in the mountains of central Oregon last week.

19 hours ago

Two alleged wire thieves caught in the act on Highway 12 near Aberdeen. Authorities estimate they d...

Tom Brock

Grounded: Grays Harbor deputies cut short highway wire heist

Deputies in Grays Harbor arrested two men Saturday for trying to steal hundreds of feet of wire along Highway 12.

20 hours ago

State troopers trying to find rock thrower along I-90