CLINTON — Three Clinton teens are facing multiple felony charges after allegedly throwing rocks at passing motorists on Interstate 95.
Maine State Police Trooper Diane Perkins-Vance said two boys, ages 16 and 17, are each facing 15 counts of criminal mischief, assault and felony charges of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon.
A third boy, 15, is facing 12 counts of criminal mischief, assault and reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, Perkins-Vance said. Police withheld their names because of their ages.
One motorist was injured when broken glass sprayed into his car and got into his eyes, Perkins-Vance said.
The teens were all arrested following a traffic stop on Wednesday. The boys are scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 11.
Until then the teens have been placed under the supervision of a juvenile case worker and must adhere to specific conditions of release, which Perkins-Vance likened to bail conditions placed on adults who are arrested.
Additional charges are not anticipated.
“We believe we have all three that are responsible,” Perkins-Vance said.
A total of five vehicles were struck by the rocks over the past couple of weeks, Perkins-Vance said. Four of those vehicles were hit during the overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.
“This has been an ongoing issue,” Perkins-Vance said.
The incidents all occurred in the southbound lanes near the Hill Road overpass, which is between mile markers 138 and 139. All the attacks occurred late at night.
“They were throwing rocks from the side of the road,” Perkins-Vance said.
The rocks broke a side window in one of the vehicles, Perkins-Vance said. The other four cars all sustained broken windshields. In each case, glass from the broken windows sprayed into the passenger compartment.
“These vehicles sustained extensive damage,” Perkins-Vance said. “Three out of the four people I talked to last night thought they were being shot with a shotgun.”
People have been seriously injured and killed by items thrown at passing cars, Perkins-Vance said.
Sabattus resident Robert Deschaine was struck by a large ice ball thrown from a Lewiston overpass as Deschaine drove Interstate 95 in January of 2009. Three teens, ages 16 and 17 at the time, were charged with aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon.
Perkins-Vance it was fortunate none of the drivers targeted by the Clinton teens were seriously injured.
“We’re lucky somebody didn’t sustain serious injury or death as a result of this,” she said.
Craig Crosby — 621-5642
ccrosby@centralmaine.com
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