Beware Bell Road: Rock-Tossers Still At-Large

ANTIOCH, TN — Drivers on Bell Road are urged to stay alert for passing cars and flying aggregate.

Metro Police say nine cars were hit by rock — usually chunks of aggregate and usually thrown from a car traveling in the opposite direction — while driving on a dark stretch of the key Antioch thoroughfare between August 24 and September 23. In four of the nine cases, the rocks actually went through the front windshield of the victims' car. Police have no leads in the case.

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A community group, the members of which wish to remain anonymous, has posted a $5,000 reward for information in this case. That is in addition to a reward of up to $1,000 being offered by Crime Stoppers.

“These are not pranks, these are not jokes, these are serious incidents where individuals are getting seriously wounded,” Investigative Sgt. Robert Johnson told News 2. “The stretch of this road where it keeps occurring, it’s very dark, so it would be almost impossible for the individual to see what type of car is approaching, the race of the individual, so it’s pretty much random.”

Metro Police have increased patrols in the area and have even added aerial surveillance.

Here's a list of the incidents, plus a map.

• Bell Road at Woodland Pointe Drive, Sep. 23, 10:30 p.m.: Victim’s jaw was broken after rock shattered front windshield
• Bell Road at Harbor Lights Drive, Sep. 22, 10:15 p.m.: Rock shattered front windshield and struck victim in the shoulder
• Bell Road at Harbor Lights Drive, Sep. 19, 9:30 p.m.: Rock shattered front windshield
• Bell Road at Harbor Lights Drive, Sep. 19, 9 p.m.: Rock damaged victim’s front bumper and radiator
• Bell Road at Heron Pointe, Sep. 7, 11:45 p.m.: Rock struck victim’s front bumper
• Bell Road at Heron Pointe, Sep. 7th, 11:30 p.m.: Rock damaged victim’s left front headlight
• 2800 block of Smith Springs Road, Sep. 7 , 11:10 p.m.: Victim heard three loud “bangs” and discovered three dents on vehicle
• Bell Road at Anderson Road, Aug. 24, 11:20 p.m.: Rock shattered front windshield causing cut to victim’s face
• Bell Road at Heron Pointe Drive, Aug. 24, 11 p.m.: Rock shattered front windshield causing deep gash to victim’s forehead

Police urge anyone whose car may have been hit along Bell Road to alert them about the incident as they continue to piece together details on these crimes.

Photo by J.R. Lind, Patch staff