Teens Who Threw Cups, Causing Crash, Could Face Felony

Teens throwing cups filled with water from an overpass — — were likely as surprised by the incident as the truck drivers were by the objects.

"I get the impression (the teens) probably didn’t expect much of a reaction," Ozaukee County Capt. Dave Guss said. "This was real, (and) they got more than they expected."

More suprises could be in store for these teens if the is successful in apprehending them. Their actions are likely to be categorized as felony criminal damage to property, Guss said, because of the possibility of their actions causing injury.

The penalty for this offense includes a fine of up to $10,000, or imprisonment of up to 3-1/2 years, or both; repeat offenders could see higher prison terms.

It's also possible that the teens could be charged with recklessly endangering safety, but because that offense includes an "utter disregard for human life" — and therefore the intention of causing injury — it would be a difficult charge to prove, Guss said.

While throwing items from overpasses seems odd, Guss said it is something that happens occasionally — about once or twice a year. In the past, he's taken reports of pumpkins and rocks flying down from highway bridges.

Usually, though, the actions don't lead to accidents, he said.

Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the accident, and provided no further details about the extent of the damages or possible injuries.

The Ozaukee County Sherrif's Department is working to locate the group of teens involved in the incident. The cups came from a local fast food restaurant, and patrons at the restaurant were able to provide a description of the teens, JSOnline reports.

Anyone with information regarding the accident is asked to contact the Sheriff's Department at (262) 284-7172.

Flying objects around the country
Media companies around the country have reports of items thrown from overpasses resulting in damage to vehicles as well as arrests of suspects — and even injuries.

• Rocks damaged at least four vehicles traveling on Aug. 15 on Interstate 64 in Virginia. "We've seen instances where it's actually punctured the roof of the car and actually punctured someone's head," Sgt. Michelle Anaya with the Virginia State Police said, as reported by Fox43TV. The report also includes a picture of the damage to one of the vehicle's windshields.
• A weekend full of cement chunks, rocks and bricks flying off an overpass on Interstate 75 near the Ohio and Michigan border — and prompting reports from a half-dozen drivers —  sparked a conversation between Channel 7 Action News and a veteran semitrailer driver in Monroe County, MI. The driver told the reporter, "(It happens) on and off all the time, they throw anything. Kids throw stuff off, people throw watermelons off, they throw rocks." One man was injured from broken glass after an object struck his windshield.
• Two teens were arrested in February in Pulaski County, IL, after throwing objects off an overpass and hitting a semitrailer, reports KVFS Ch. 12. The 19-year-old arrested was charged with felony vehicular endangerment; the 16-year-old involved was charged and taken to a juvenile detention center.