A 20-year-old woman was killed last week when a large rock crashed through her windshield. According to a statement from Jefferson County Sheriff’s investigators, Alex Bartell, 20, was struck as she drove north in the 10600 block of Indiana Street at about 10:45 p.m. in Westminster on April 19.
Jefferson County officials announced the arrest of three seniors from Arvada high school, today. The suspects were identified as Joseph Koeing, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik and Zachary Kwak.
Bartell was the last of several cars to be “struck by large landscaping rocks in a spree that began shortly after” 10 pm near 100th Avenue and Simms Street in Westminster, officials said.
The suspects were traveling in a black 2016 Chevy Silverado that evening, though details as to who was driving the vehicle or who threw the rock that killed Bartell are still to be determined.
According to the JCSO sheriff, “all three students are suspected of throwing rocks and all three are currently facing charges of first-degree murder by extreme indifference.”
“It’s described as an attitude or behavior which exhibits indifference about what they’re doing,” said Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) spokeswoman Jacki Kelley. “And in this one, it was in relation to respect for human life.” “This is the beginning of the journey they’ll be on next.”
All three of the suspects are currently being held without bail.
Kelley continued, “This case touched a lot of people deeply. This was a beautiful young woman who had her whole life in front of her who was simply driving home, and her life was ended as a result of these acts.”
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