In a Ramsey County courtroom on Tuesday, a St. Paul driver described how an ordinary late-night trip turned into a nightmare when a rock crashed through her SUV from a Highway 36 overpass. The impact shattered her right arm and sent her into surgery, and she told the judge the thrown rock "could have killed me." The man who dropped it, Willie Charles Lassiter Jr., was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty, and the case has once again spotlighted how dangerous it is when people toss objects off highway bridges around the Twin Cities.
According to reporting by Pioneer Press, Lassiter admitted to first-degree assault as part of a plea agreement, and Judge Thomas Gilligan Jr. imposed the eight-year term. State sentencing guidelines had called for roughly 9½ to just over 13 years, but the plea deal allowed a downward departure. Prosecutors also agreed not to file attempted-murder charges, according to court filings.
Driver's injuries and testimony
Tiarra Dabney told the court she needed surgery after a rock she estimated at at least seven pounds smashed through her vehicle and into her arm. Surgeons installed a roughly 7-inch plate, and she said she now struggles with anxiety when driving at night or passing under bridges. Dabney testified that the rock "could have killed" her or anyone riding with her. Her medical bills have already exceeded $20,000, according to sentencing testimony reported by Pioneer Press.
How investigators tied the rock to the overpass
Investigators retrieved the rock from Dabney's Ford Escape and said it matched landscaping stones at the Metro Transit park-and-ride beneath the Rice Street overpass. Surveillance footage reviewed by authorities shows a man shoplifting at a nearby Cub Foods, then walking to the park-and-ride, bending down near the landscape rocks and heading onto the bridge shortly before the crash, according to the Star Tribune. Deputies also reported seeing someone walking north from the east side of the bridge around 10:37 p.m. on May 29, court documents state.
Charges, background and sentence details
Lassiter was first charged last summer by warrant and initially faced two counts of second-degree assault, local prosecutors said and reporting shows, according to Bring Me The News. At sentencing he apologized and told the court he had been under the influence of drugs on the night of the incident. Judge Gilligan gave him credit for time he had already served in jail. The court also ordered Lassiter to pay restitution to Dabney, with the exact amount to be determined later, as reflected in court filings and local reporting.
Rock-drop incidents are not isolated
Throwing objects from overpasses has been a recurring and dangerous problem in Minnesota, and law enforcement has been clear this is not some harmless prank. In another recent case, investigators in Chisago County asked for the public's help after reports that several large rocks were thrown from an Interstate 35 overpass near Rush City, leading to multiple crashes but, so far, no deaths, according to CBS Minnesota. Authorities warn that even a single heavy rock can turn into a deadly projectile at highway speeds, and say such acts can bring felony charges depending on injuries and intent. Prosecutors are watching the Lassiter case closely as the latest high-profile example that may influence how future bridge-drop cases are handled.
Legal note
Under Minnesota law, throwing an object from a bridge that causes great bodily harm can support felony assault charges. Judges use state sentencing guidelines, along with any aggravating or mitigating factors, to set prison terms. Court records show prosecutors recommended a range of about 9½ to just over 13 years in this case, but the plea agreement allowed a shorter sentence. As part of that deal, prosecutors agreed not to pursue attempted-murder counts, according to court records and reporting.
Judge Gilligan's sentence gives Dabney some measure of closure on the criminal case, but the court file makes clear that her physical and emotional recovery could stretch on for months or years, and the restitution amount is still unresolved. Lassiter received credit for 314 days already served and will now carry out the rest of his term in state prison. Authorities continue urging anyone who witnesses or hears about similar overpass incidents to contact local law enforcement before the next close call turns into a fatal one.
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