Three teenagers have been charged with murder after throwing landscaping stones at several Colorado drivers in a riot that killed one, officials said.
Victim Alexa Bartell, 20, was behind the wheel last Wednesday night while talking to a friend on the phone. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Bartel’s car veered off the road and crashed into a field.
Authorities said her body was found by a friend who tracked her down using a phone app after the call went down.
The sheriff’s office said Bartell died from a rock, not a crash.
On Wednesday, the sheriff’s office announced that three 18-year-old men had been arrested and charged in Bartell’s death.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the trio, identified as Joseph Koenig, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol Chick, and Zachary Kwak, attacked drivers on the same night that Bartel was killed with other similar rocks. It is suspected that several attacks were carried out.
The series of attacks, which began shortly after 10 pm, targeted at least seven vehicles and slightly injured another two drivers.
All three teenage suspects have been accused of throwing rocks during the twisting rampage, though it’s unclear who the driver was.
Each faces first-degree murder charges, and additional charges may be added.
“It sounded like a shotgun” when the stone hit the passenger side of the van, one of the drivers targeted by the stone throw said at a news conference on Tuesday. According to the Denver Post.
Driver Nathan Tipton also expressed anger over Bartell’s death.
“It took someone’s life,” Tipton said.
“It’s sad. It’s horrible. No one should lose a child to such a random act.
“I hope Alexa and her family get some justice.”
with post wire
