Suspect Accused Of Throwing Rocks At Cars On I-5

SEATTLE — Washington State Patrol troopers have made another arrest in which the suspect is accused of throwing rocks at cars on I-5.

According to WSP, just before 12:30 a.m. Monday morning, they received a 911 call from a driver whose car had been hit by a rock while driving southbound near S. 272nd Street in Federal Way.

The first WSP trooper arrived to find two drivers with two damaged cars waiting for him.

After speaking with both victims, the trooper started to search the area and found a man nearby, lying down in tall grass. Beside him were chunks of concrete that had recently been broken off the freeway barrier, the trooper reported.

That man, identified by WSP as 35-year-old Edgar Rios of Seattle, was detained and quickly identified by one of the victims as the man who threw the rock at their car. While that was happening, WSP says they got two other calls from drivers who had also been hit earlier in the night.

All four victims described similar incidents: they had been driving southbound on I-5 in lane one, when their cars were hit by a chunk of concrete. Three came out unscathed, but one was hurt when the concrete broke his windshield. Troopers say the concrete struck him in the chest, and shattered glass gave him minor cuts to the arm and face. Fortunately, his injuries were minor, and he is expected to recover.

Rios has since been booked into the King County Jail, and could face charges of Assault and Malicious Mischief.

Monday's arrest is just the latest incident in a string of rock-throwings on I-5 and I-90 this year. By late last month, troopers had already investigated 75 rock-throwings on both freeways in 2021, six of which caused human injuries. On June 22, 2 people were arrested and accused of throwing rocks onto I-5 in Seattle.

To crack down on rock throwers, WSP, SPD and WSDOT have teamed up to better surveil both freeways.