‘It could have killed somebody’: State Patrol believes rocks being thrown at cars from I-5 overpasses

SEATTLE – Washington State Patrol troopers believe someone is throwing rocks from bridges onto the busy I-5 freeway below.

It’s happened at least four times since last month, twice since Sunday, and it’s putting countless drivers in danger.

It’s really a miracle nobody has been hurt yet.  Q13 News spoke with two victims; one said they heard what sounded like an explosion when the 8-pound rock came crashing through the glass.

“All of the sudden, a big ol' crash noise,” Gordon Mjelde said of the incident.

The rock left a massive hole in Mjelde’s windshield. He says it happened while he drove northbound on I-5 near the Yesler Way overpass on Sunday afternoon.

“My console was completely ripped out. That rock came in the windshield, came in, tore out my console and landed in the back seat,” he said. “The realization that I was lucky, really lucky. Another eight inches, it could have hit me. If I had a passenger, it could have hit them.”



“Whoever is doing it: Stop!” said Gee Scott.

Scott says the same thing happened to him on Tuesday afternoon while he was in the back seat of an Uber ride.

“I’m texting on the phone and I hear this loud explosion,” he said.

Seattle police said they are investigating the incidents with the Washington State Patrol.

Troopers said they have responded to four separate incidents, and a total of five cars have been damaged by falling rocks since September. So far there have been no arrests.

Incredibly, nobody has reported being injured.

The latest two victims said they want whoever is responsible to stop.

“It could have killed somebody,” said Mjelde.

“You never think about getting on the road and the possibility of looking up because there might be big boulders or a rock coming down on you,” said Scott.

Police said they need drivers to be extra vigilant. If motorists see anyone acting suspiciously on an overpass, don’t hesitate to call 911.