Rush hour on Interstate 64 took a nasty turn Tuesday when police say a St. Louis man hurled large rocks from an overpass, smashing car windows and damaging three vehicles below. Officers booked 40-year-old Phillip Carter on a stack of felony charges tied to the alleged attack.
According to KSDK, a witness picked Carter out of a photo lineup, and officers later arrested him in connection with the July 7 incidents. Police charged him with three counts each of assault, property damage and armed criminal action, the outlet reported.
Earlier Overpass Case And Probation Deal
For longtime drivers on that stretch of road, the arrest may feel uncomfortably familiar. In 2023, officers set up a portable camera at the Hampton Avenue overpass and ultimately arrested a man who admitted to throwing rocks at cars, local coverage from KMOV detailed.
Follow-up reporting later showed Carter pleaded guilty in connection with those earlier rock-throwing incidents and received a suspended probation term, according to coverage by Yahoo/FOX2.
Investigators Say The Tactics Looked The Same
Detectives told reporters that what played out on I-64 this week looked a lot like what they had seen before. Large rocks were reportedly tossed from an overpass, and several vehicles took the hit. KSDK reported that three cars were struck during Tuesday's episode.
What “Armed Criminal Action” Covers
One of the counts, armed criminal action, is a statutory enhancement that applies when a felony is carried out using a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument. In Missouri, the offense is laid out in RSMo §571.015, which can require minimum prison terms and consecutive sentences in certain cases.
Police have asked anyone with video or additional information to contact investigators as the case moves forward in court. No further details on Carter's arraignment were immediately available.
