6th victim comes forward in I-95 brick throwing incident in Cumberland County
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- A sixth victim has come forward, saying he was among the drivers hit by brick-throwing teens on Interstate 95 Monday night, as investigators look at whether the kids were involved in nearly a dozen other similar events.
The development comes as the three Cumberland and Harnett County boys faced a judge Wednesday afternoon, with their parents and another victim in the courtroom.
Bobby Stone, the 17-year-old driver, 17-year-old Javier Prieto, Jr. and 18-year-old Alex Alvarado face five counts of felony assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to injure or kill charges, as well misdemeanor property charges.
They are accused of throwing bricks and rocks over the Baggett Road I-95 overpass Monday evening, and narrowly missing several drivers and passengers as they caused damage to the cars.
Read more here: Three arrests made in I-95 brick throwing incident
The charges amount to sentences of more than 37 years in prison for each teen if they are convicted. The teens remain in jail under a $250,000 bond each.
On Wednesday, the boys, their mothers, and attorneys went before District Court Judge Tal Baggett for their first appearances. William Myers, a Columbia, South Carolina truck driver whose windshield was shattered also returned the area to see the boys in court.
"This was a full size brick, not a rock like some say," Myers said following the court session. "This was a full size brick and it was actually on the floor between me and the passenger."
"I just thank God that I wasn't hurt during that time and able to get out the truck and put a flashlight over the vehicle," Myers continued.
Myers, who was accompanied by his girlfriend Monday night, said the couple thought the bridge had collapsed on them. They heard a crash before glass shattered all over them. His girlfriend was able to call 911, and Myers said he was able to get out of the car, shine a flashlight and identify Stone, Prieto, and Alvarado in Stone's white BMW. Investigators tracked the car and teens about two miles from the crime scene.
A mention of the car made for tense moments in the courtroom Wednesday afternoon when Baggett asked Stone if he had any questions.
"Has my car been seized?" Stone asked.
"Seized in what?" replied Baggett.
"His car, will he be able to get his car?" Stone's mother interjected.
"The last thing you need to be worried about now is your car," Baggett replied, after saying he didn't know where the vehicle had been taken. "Take that off the list. Worry about other things like these charges."
"Eighty-eight months times five in prison-not concurrent, but consecutive you could potentially get," Baggett continued, expressing the length of prison time the charges carry by widening his arms. "Get your mind off the car. Get your mind on this and hiring an attorney, you understand?"
"Yes, Sir," Stone replied.
"My life could have been lost, my girlfriend and all the other victims there," said Myers referring to the court exchange. "He could've caused me to kill other people myself and so that's the reality that sets in with me."
Stone's mother agreed to the teen signing a waiver to hire an attorney while Fayetteville lawyers David Courie and Mark Hearp had already taken on the co-defendants' cases.
Through the lawyers, the families declined to speak about the case, but the men said to their knowledge, this is the first time the kids had been in trouble. Two of them are high school seniors. Stone's mother also told Baggett she realized the seriousness of the charges and wanted to hire an attorney.
Meanwhile, the lead investigator in the case is obtaining a search warrant for Stone's car, after Stone refused to let deputies search the BMW when the teens were arrested. The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said there may be evidence in the vehicle to link the boys to at least eleven other recently reported brick-throwing incidents in the area.
A sixth victim told investigators he was unable to pull over into a safe spot on Monday night, so he waited to file a report this week.
Additional charges could be filed as a result of that report.
The teens are due back in court on Feb. 23.
