A 64-year-old Puyallup man was hospitalized after a pedestrian threw a brick into his vehicle near downtown Tacoma, an incident confirmed by the Washington State Patrol. The assault occurred last Saturday as the man, along with a 63-year-old female driver, was traveling southbound on Interstate 705 just north of State Route 509. The brick, thrown from the road's shoulder by a 38-year-old Vancouver, Washington man, resulted in serious head injuries for the passenger, FOX 13 Seattle reports.
The aftermath of the assault saw a lane of I-705 blocked for approximately an hour as authorities responded to the scene, The News Tribune disclosed. The suspect, who was found eight blocks away from where the incident took place, now faces charges of second-degree assault, third-degree assault, and third-degree malicious mischief.
This violent episode is part of a worrying trend in the Tacoma area, where several reports of debris being thrown from overpasses have been recorded this year. Prior incidents involved cinderblocks and rocks hurled onto moving cars on various highways, including Interstate 5. While the previous cases resulted mainly in property damage, this latest assault led to a hospital visit for the victim, who was treated on the scene before being transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, MyNorthwest added.
The increase in such dangerous activities has raised concern among local authorities. Washington State Patrol's Public Information Officer Kameron Watts emphasized the severity of the issue, stating, "It's just one of those things you don't expect when you're rolling down a highway, 60 miles an hour, and a brick hits your windshield and really injures one of your passengers or you," as reported by MyNorthwest. The Washington State Patrol urges drivers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities on overpasses to aid in preventing further incidents and ensuring safety on the roads.
