Colorado woman killed by rock thrown through windshield; similar incidents being investigated
A 20-year-old Colorado woman was killed Wednesday night after a rock was thrown at her vehicle. Local law enforcement is investigating her death and a series of similar incidents from Wednesday night.
At about 10:45 p.m. local time, Alexa Bartell was driving in Jefferson County when suspects, believed to be in a vehicle or possibly on the side of a road, threw a large rock at Bartell's car, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said Thursday. The rock went through the windshield and struck and killed her, the sheriff's office said.
Bartell was on the phone with a friend when she was struck, according to the sheriff's office. The phone went silent, but Bartell's friend was able to find her by tracking the phone, police said. The friend found Bartell fatally injured in her car, which had driven off the road and into a field, the sheriff's office said.
Bartell was from Arvada, Colorado.
According to authorities, there were multiple other incidents late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning in which rocks were thrown at vehicles. No other incidents were fatal.
At 10:04 p.m. in Westminster, a rock was thrown through a windshield. The driver was not injured.
Two more incidents occurred about half an hour later, both in Boulder County near the Rock Creek neighborhood. At 10:36 p.m., another rock was thrown through a windshield, resulting in minor injuries to the car's driver. A minute later, at 10:37 p.m., a rock was thrown at the body of a Toyota, resulting in body damage to the vehicle but no injuries to the driver.
The fatal incident involving Bartell happened about eight minutes later.
The last incident took place over an hour and a half later, in Arvada, where a rock was again thrown through a windshield, resulting in minor injuries to the driver.
Police said the suspects may have been driving a "light-colored pickup truck or SUV."
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said it is working with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, Arvada Police and Westminster Police to investigate. They believe there could be further victims.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the location of Arvada.
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Kerry Breen is a news editor and reporter for CBS News. Her reporting focuses on current events, breaking news and substance use.
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