Colorado investigators add to number of vehicles hit by rocks in Jefferson and Boulder counties
UPDATE: 3 suspects arrested in rock-throwing attacks
Investigators upped the number of vehicles known to be hit by rocks amid a flurry of rock attacks on vehicles Wednesday night that included one that caused the death of 20-year-old Alexa Bartell.
There are now seven vehicles believed hit in the span between 10:04 p.m. and 10:45 p.m. in northern Jefferson County and southern Boulder County. Two additional attacks occurred one soon after the other as vehicles headed south on Highway 93, just south of Highway 128.
"They must have been pretty close to each other these two, because the one behind knew that the one in front of them had also gotten hit," said Jeffco Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Jenny Fulton.
One vehicle was hit by a large rock, the second by numerous small rocks. One had damage to the rear driver's side window, the other to the windshield. The cars were hit somewhere between 10:26 p.m. and 10:45 p.m. The suspect vehicle was heading north at the time.
It allows investigators to further conclude that at least some of the cars hit were hit by rocks thrown from a passing vehicle. Detectives believe that vehicle is likely a light colored pickup or SUV. It also suggests more than one person was involved.
"It would be difficult for one person to do this by themselves," said Fulton. "They'd have to be driving and throwing rocks at the same time."
Nearly 300 tips have come in to authorities trying to find the culprits in the killing of Alexa Bartell and the other attacks. It appears there have been no additional attacks since Wednesday night. The killing of Alexa was the last known incident of Wednesday night. Her vehicle left the roadway and ended up in a field in the 10600 block of Indiana Street.
A memorial at the spot where her car went through a fence after she was fatally injured by the rock thrown at her car continued to grow Monday. Meantime, people are talking about driving nervously in the area at night with the attacks unsolved.
"I've got a girlfriend who drives out here as well and both of us drive through here in the mornings and at night and it definitely is worrisome. And I definitely am angry about it and I hesitate a little bit when I'm driving through here," said Tyler Padgett of Arvada.
"It used to be one of the more relaxing parts of my drive and that's gone now," said Dale Brittain of Arvada. "It's a wide open road. That there's nothing on either side. It's usually not full with traffic. It's late at night, I'm very concerned."
Brittain tried to fathom why someone would purposefully attack others with rocks.
"I'm mystified. I don't understand the behavior. I don't understand the fear, why I have to feel this fear because somebody is bored or like I don't know."
Amid all of the discussion, there is still a hope that someone who knows something will step forward. A $17,000 reward remains in place.
"They're going to get caught sooner rather than later hopefully," said Chris Phillips, who along with his wife Tonya has been thinking about the crime. "It's got to be weighing on somebody right now.