The Gainesville Police Department suspects four young men tossed large rocks from a bridge over Interstate 985, causing significant damage to at least two cars passing underneath early Tuesday.
At least twice between 1:30 a.m. and 2:15 a.m. Tuesday rocks weighing 20 to 25 pounds were hurled over the railing of the Athens Street Bridge.
The report on the two incidents name four men ranging in age from 18 to 21 years old but none have been arrested. The potential charges listed on the incident reports are criminal damage to property and terroristic acts.
Cpl. Kevin Holbrook, the Gainesville PD spokesman, said officer were not able to catch the four suspects in the act but they were able to link them to the rock tossing incidents after the second car was hit.
“Their simple prank … may very well become felony jail time for them when it’s all said and done,” Holbrook told Channel 2 Action News.
The first rock was hurled over the side of the bridge at 1:32 a.m, landing on the 2010 Ford E350 driven by John Chumley of Duluth. The window on the driver’s side was broken and the driver’s side door was dented, according to a report on the incident.
Forty-five minutes later, another rock was hurled from the bridge on to the roof of the Honda Accord Norman Mullis of Demorest was driving. The rock ripped a hole in the roof and shattered the back window before landing in the back floorboard.
Miller told WSB TV a first he didn’t understand what had happened when glass started flying.
“It was scary,” Miller said. “When they dropped this, they didn’t know if they were hitting a car with kids in it.”
Miller said he hopes the four suspects “get what’s coming to you. There will be no mercy from me. I will press the hardest charges I can press…. This is just unforgivable”
About the Author
