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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRock dropped from overpass kills passenger in car; teens charged
This is so tragic, and I swear, some are just simply born quite stupid. These kids were clearly old enough to know what might happen.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/23/us/flint-teens-rock-throwing-murder-trnd/index.html
Kenneth White, 32, was a passenger in a van that was traveling along I-75 near Flint, Michigan, on the night of October 18, when a 6-pound rock smashed through the windshield of the vehicle, fatally injuring him.
White was struck in the face and head, and the rock ricocheted to his chest, causing him to lose consciousness, according to Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell. The driver told police he had to pass four other vehicles, which were disabled on the side of the road because of rocks, before he could pull over to get help for his friend.
Pickell and David Leyton, the county prosecutor, announced on Monday that the teens, ages 15-17, are being charged as adults with one count of second-degree murder each. They are also being charged with conspiracy to commit murder, six felony counts each of malicious destruction of property and two other lesser charges.
"It's not a prank, it's second-degree murder," said Pickell. "I don't think anybody is laughing and I think that if there's any warning that both David and I can give, is telling young people, you make a bad decision, you could be spending the rest of your life in prison."
Police said the group threw a tire and about 20 rocks, one weighing 20 pounds, off two overpasses that night, damaging several vehicles. After throwing the rock that killed White, the teens left the overpass and went to a McDonalds to eat.
"To propel the size of boulder down from the Dodge Road overpass to a 70 mph vehicle that's headed southbound, you ought to know -- a reasonable person would know -- that that is creating a high risk of great bodily harm, or in this case, death," said Leyton.
tblue37
(65,408 posts)hatrack
(59,587 posts)Hope these fucking punks enjoy the rest of their miserable fucking lives.
EL34x4
(2,003 posts)Not quite sure what you are getting at here.
hatrack
(59,587 posts)See also: Central Park Five, Katrina, and the overwhelming power of rap to force black teenagers to commit evil acts, etc.
Not nearly so common when the perpetrators are white - that's what I'm getting at.
Baconator
(1,459 posts)HopeAgain
(4,407 posts)That just sounds hateful to me.
hatrack
(59,587 posts).
obamanut2012
(26,080 posts)And the actions of these thugs.
no_hypocrisy
(46,122 posts)TDale313
(7,820 posts)So many lives destroyed. Mostly this just makes me horribly sad.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Heartbreaking.
obamanut2012
(26,080 posts)ie dropping stuff off overpasses.
Dave Starsky
(5,914 posts)that he started writing back in the 1980s.
The main character is a vigilante-for-hire who begins his character as a teen, after his mother is killed by a cinder block thrown from an overpass.
JI7
(89,252 posts)people lose their life just going about their life because of some stupid dumbfuck scumbags.
nini
(16,672 posts)I remember something like this happening when i was a kid. It still haunts me.
Hassin Bin Sober
(26,330 posts)ProfessorGAC
(65,076 posts)Off the overpass on I-57, right?
Chipper Chat
(9,680 posts)Killed a teacher I Think
ProfessorGAC
(65,076 posts)I live about 20 miles from the event on I-57
I'm too far to know about the one you mention!
I was kind of a punk when I was 15 or 16, but I was an "in your face" punk!
Throwing boulders off an overpass at people going 70 was nothing we ever even imagined!!!!
I always look up.
How sad.
RKP5637
(67,111 posts)fast interstate highway. It crashed through the windshield hitting the driver squarely in the chest. It was horrible and of course the driver, a professor, was demolished. Some places I've been the pedestrian crossovers are screened. It was a kid that did it and they got him. I think these kids knew damn well what they were doing, at minimal they were clearly causing a lot of damage.
Docreed2003
(16,863 posts)Performing this act isnt a joke, its not funny, its not worth going to prison over, and its damn sure not worth taking a life and ruining an unknown familys lives over! Jesus Christ, it seems like these stories of dropping rocks from overpasses or other objects seem to pop up multiple times a year. Its not new, remember similar stories as a kid. One of my former partners talked about an incident in Philly, would have been late 80s early 90s, where some kids dropped a manhole cover on a car and decapitated the driver! WTF!? I did some REALLY stupid stuff as a kid but am I going to have to sit my kids down and say Dont drop shit off of an overpass...you could kill someone? Cause thats how it seems!!
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Really the only thing which could explain that level of stupid. x 4, yet.
TheFrenchRazor
(2,116 posts)oswaldactedalone
(3,491 posts)White people to do the right thing. Most are murderous thugs just waiting for the chance to do something bad.
A little shocking to see in print, dont you think? OTOH, Ive heard white people say that very thing about blacks. As a frequent visitor to peoples homes as a healthcare provider, I can tell you that people will say things to you that they wouldnt say in public, at least they wouldnt prior to the Trumpanzee giving them tacit permission to be open with it.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)how do you know their race?
DLevine
(1,788 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)Weird how they all look alike.
MrsCoffee
(5,803 posts)BlueStater
(7,596 posts)The victim was the father of a five-year-old son. Throw the sick little fucks in prison for the rest of their worthless lives.
ffr
(22,670 posts)Tragic!
Lazy Daisy
(928 posts)I lost my uncle in 1981 the same way.
oasis
(49,389 posts)Watchfoxheadexplodes
(3,496 posts)"Hey man this could kill someone?"
lindysalsagal
(20,692 posts)aikoaiko
(34,172 posts)Half joking, half serious. All that lead in the water is going to fuck up a generation of kids.
Tragic all the way around. Those teens ruined their lives as well as killed a man and ruined his family's lives.
malaise
(269,054 posts)Off to prison
obamanut2012
(26,080 posts)She didn't die, but the glass shredded her body, especially her face, and her looks and health will never be the same.
I'm glad they are being tried as adults, and I hope they are incarcerated for 20 years.
Vinca
(50,278 posts)Initech
(100,081 posts)Initech
(100,081 posts)Calculating
(2,955 posts)Why? Just why? Surely anyone over freaking 12 years old would possess the mental abilities to see the potential for tragedy here. Was there really NOBODY in the group willing to speak up and say "Hey guys we could kill someone doing this". This is not some casual prank! I'd be just fine if all of them were behind bars for the next 15-20 years. Useless dangerous idiots who have no place in society.
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)There was a case in Minnesota a few years ago, as well. It appears that some teenaged boys have zero common sense. The only answer I can see is to screen all overpasses to prevent such tragedies. Nothing else is likely to work, I'm afraid. There will always be dumbass kids looking for some way to avoid boredom. It's a lot of stupid people out there.
Since such incidents happen with regularity, prevention appears to be the only cure for the problem.
Personally, I look up at every overpass when driving. If there's someone standing up there, I change lanes to avoid passing directly underneath that person. I shouldn't have to do that, I think.