TUCSON, AZ — The Department of Public Safety confirmed that two juveniles have been arrested for throwing large rocks at cars on I-10 in Tucson.
Arizona Department of Public Safety tells KGUN 9 the male teens are 15 and 16 years old. They were arrested near Irvington and Palo Verde near I-10 on Tuesday night.
Both suspects have been released to the custody of their parents. The criminal investigation is ongoing and the two will not be officially charged until the investigation concludes. Specific charges are not known at this time.
Sydney Navarro was driving westbound on I-10 last Friday night when a block of cement smashed through her windshield.
“Bursted through the window, there was glass everywhere on the car, she was covered in glass,” Navarro said.
Navarro says the block hit her girlfriend, Arielle Mitchell, in the face. Mitchell was knocked unconscious for around 30 seconds.
"From my point of view she had a hole in her face," Navarro said. "I panicked immediately, I was screaming for her.”
Navarro says the incident left Mitchell with a broken cheek and jaw bone.
“She was lucky enough that had she moved half an inch to the right or down, it would’ve been a different outcome,” Navarro said.
Since October 26, the Department of Public Safety says there’s been six rock throwing incidents along I-10 near Palo Verde.
"These are not uncommon events, throughout the state and throughout the country, rock throwing events happen quite often,” said Captain Ben Trueba, DPS Overnight Captain.
DPS says it’s happened mostly at night, between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m., making it even harder to avoid.
“People need to be vigilant, pay attention to their surroundings," Captain Trueba said. "If they see someone with a rock, they need to call it in to 9-1-1.”
