Rocks thrown at a vehicle resulted in the tragic death of a young woman on Wednesday night.
Alexa Bartell, 20, tragically lost her life after her vehicle was struck by a rock while she was driving home, as reported by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Police say it was part of a broader crime spree that occurred overnight.
The rocks were thrown from a moving vehicle. At the time, Bartell was conversing with a friend on the phone, which suddenly went silent. The concerned friend tracked down Bartell’s phone and discovered her lifeless body inside her car, which was in a field near the road.
Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jacki Kelly shared that the recovered rocks weighed between three and five pounds and measured four to six inches. The large rocks, resembling landscaping rocks, had shattered the windshield and some had entered the car.
Those who knew Bartell remembered her fondly, with a work colleague describing her as a delightful person and a friend to everyone. A high school acquaintance recalled her as the kind of friend who was always up for a chat or a good laugh.
Eighteen-year-olds Joseph Koenig, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik, and Zachary Kwak were all taken into custody after a thorough investigation. All three individuals face first-degree murder charges for their involvement in the fatal rock-throwing attack. It has been revealed that the suspects are all high school seniors, with one attending Ralston Valley High School, one going to Standley Lake High School in Westminster, and the other attending an online school.
The police believe that the suspects were in a moving vehicle when the rocks were thrown. The crime spree began shortly after 10 p.m. in Westminster at the intersection of 100th Avenue and Simms Street, just north of Standley Lake. The final attack occurred approximately 45 minutes later and two miles away, resulting in the death of Bartell.
Two other people were also injured in earlier rock attacks that same night. Seven vehicles were hit by what police say were “large landscaping rocks.”