Five teenage boys have been charged with murder after throwing rocks and debris from an overpass at vehicles passing below. One chunk of concrete smashed through the windshield and fatally struck a passenger.
It was around 8:30pm when the van Kenneth White was riding in passed under the Dodge Road overpass headed south on I-75 near Flint, Michigan. He was headed home from work, sitting in the front passenger seat while his friend was driving at around 70 mph. Seemingly out of nowhere, a 6-pound chunk of concrete came crashing through the windshield, fracturing his skull, breaking ribs, and dealing severe and ultimately fatal damage to the 32-year-old man.
Above the van on the overpass, five teenagers had been throwing chunks of concrete, debris, and rocks onto vehicles below. Police say the suspects picked up the rocks in a nearby town, loaded them into the back of a pickup truck, and then drove to the overpass.
According to authorities, the teens had thrown more than a dozen objects onto the highway below. Some time after throwing the concrete block that killed Kenneth White, the suspects left the scene and drove to a local fast food restaurant to get dinner.
When authorities arrived at the scene of the incident, they found multiple other vehicles pulled over to the side of the road with minor damage, also likely caused by objects thrown from the overpass.
White was transported to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead. He left behind four children and was engaged to be married.
The teenagers, who range in age from 15 to 17, have all been charged as adults. They all face the same charges including second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and malicious destruction of property. All told, each teen faces 8 felony charges and 2 misdemeanors. From the second-degree murder charge alone, they could face life in prison.
Only the oldest – who is also the one who is suspected of throwing the concrete block – is being held in a county jail. The others are being held at a juvenile detention facility.
During their arraignment hearing this Tuesday, all five entered pleas of not-guilty.
Citing the “seriousness of the nature of these charges and the danger to the public,” the judge denied bail for all of them.
“It’s not a prank. It’s second-degree murder. I don’t think anybody is laughing,” said Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell. “I think if there’s any warning [we] could give, it’s telling young people you make a bad decision you could be spending the rest of your life in prison. This is not a prank.”
Source: usatoday, mlive, wnem, detroitnews
We can do anything attitude in America has met its match.,,!!!!
we can only hope
Fry ’em… useless little punks.
All 5 should be stoned to death. Not given a life of watching TV, reading magazines and books, playing sports, working out, being fed, medicated, legally represented, clothed, and more.
They’ll also be able to mock the victim’s family, as they grow more and more resentful of the system their “punishment” will come from.
Stone them now, and it will be a serious deterrent to the next would-be criminal(s) who think(s) it’s funny or cool to throw debris off an overpass/bridge at vehicles below them.
Life is not good enough, kill the SOB S they destroy a family for no reason at all,
There was some merit to the old, old way of doing things. If someone was guilty of intentional harm that resulted in death, and it was proven, the next of kin of the deceased could execute judgement on the perp and kill them. In all of history, it is only recently that we pass this off to the state to punish. Now the rest of us get saddled with the bill for it at the tune of about $100K a year for each of these idiots.
See my above comment to pgnd3r.
This seems to me to be the definition of involuntary manslaughter.
I’m guessing that’s what it’ll be pled down to, because if it goes to trial, I can’t see them getting convicted second degree murder, as they weren’t trying to kill someone.
You throw a six pound chunk of concrete off a highway overpass and you’re “not trying to kill someone” you’re delusional. These little bxxtards knew what they were doing and they all need to hang.
spot on
Yep. Hang ’em all!
They aren’t trying to kill someone while throwing a 6 pound chunk of concrete off a overpass? You’re a special kind of stupid. They knew exactly what they were doing. That’s what’s wrong now everyone making excuses for children who do wrong.
This action had malicious intent. Manslaughter doesn’t include malicious intent. That’s why it’s murder.
Agree
But these guys intended to do what they did according to the article. They intentionally picked up debris, loaded it in a pickup, and took to to the overpass with the intent of throwing it over at passing vehicles. That is premeditation. That elevates things beyond some involuntary manslaughter. But, out of money and time concerns, it could well be pled down to the lesser charge.
They’re throwing rocks from an overpass into traffic below that is moving at interstate speeds and they AREN’T trying to kill someone?
Maybe they weren’t trying to kill people, but what did they think would happen?
This is a case of malicious vandalism gone horribly wrong. It should fall under the same scenario as arson. If someone dies in a fire you started, it’s murder. You throw rocks at speeding traffic and someone dies it is murder.
Period.
There was a very reasonable degree of belief that their actions could result in someones death. They intentionally created the conditions that killed the man.
Agreed. An example needs set to send a message.
Josh, these were not some stupid ten year olds. These are almost men. At 16 and 17 I had enough knowledge and imagination, also empathy, not to do something like this. These people smashed the rock through the van window and then instead of running and hiding scared, they went to a local fast food joint to enjoy a meal. I think that a normal kid would not be able to eat after something like this. I don’t know them, but based on the story I would say that if these kids are let go, nothing will become of them anyway. They are already lost, probably due to upbringing. They are sociopaths.
You do not know that they intended to do harm to a vehicle that belongs to someone else and it just so happens they killed an occupancy in the vehicle suffer the consequences quit spanking these kids on the hand suffer the consequences in any state you are held responsible for your actions.
Josh, you are legally correct, but I agree with the others that they should be executed. Fry… hang… so many choices.- Charles
I don’t think they’re intent is very clear based solely on the article. Personally, I would hold off on a conclusion regarding intent until more facts become available.
If tried and found guilty they should be stoned to death…..ya know eye for an eye sorta thing
Does it have to be the same kind of stone that they used? I say that any kind should suffice.- Charles
Let the victim’s family decide. Heck, let them participate in the punishment of these murderers if they want to.
Kids have no respect for authority, property or human life. This is tragic and I hope they spend life in prison. The person they murdered left behind 4 kids that have to grow up without a father. I don’t think they should get life though. They murdered someone, second degree murder is not the proper charge. It’s First degree murder because it was pre-meditated. They intended to cause bodily harm. Good thing they are in a state with no death penalty.
I think a good old fashioned STONING sounds good.Let them know how it felt before they DIE
This was deliberate act …done by ALL OF THEM ! The sheriff has it right “No one is laughing “! The defence attorneys may as well realize they are not need to try an make this a lesser charge. Life without a chance of perole..
I had a smaller rock hit the windshield of my truck on 99 in California. Like a rifle shot. It did not come inside though. Prayers for the family.
Jesus commands us to LOVE everyone, As he loved .
Pray for them, that they see their evil ways.
and they repent, and become forgiven by God
Being forgiven by god does not absolve them of the criminal responsibility for their actions
^This. The God-loving nonsense won’t bring back an innocent father of 4. Removing those kids from doing any further harm to society is for the common good.
true. As you judge, so shall you be judged. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. Most of us have done really stupid things as teens though we were lucky that nothing tragic happened like this. They weren’t so lucky. It is also possible that bodily harm and even death was their intent. Let’s be careful about jumping to conclusions.
They didn’t obey the laws of the land so deal with the consequences
So shall it be for you…. no mercy, no grace.
…and we should free them as we forgive them. NOT!!!- Charles
Not free them but find out all the facts before condemning them. None of us is perfect. We have all made bad mistakes which could have ruined our lives except for those who were willing to help us. Maybe you are perfect though.
Young, reckless guys like this do not have the life experience or brain development to fully grasp the overall seriousness of their actions. This is the reason our prisons are fully of them, and not elderly women.
I’d give them 15 years without parole, during which time they must visit regularly with the family of their victim. I am quite sure that, emerging from prison in their 30’s, they would not re-offend.
I am just not interested in my tax dollars paying to incarcerate them for 75+ years, when they clearly did not intend to kill anyone.
“clearly did not intend to kill anyone”? Did you miss the part about how they were throwing rocks off an interstate overpass onto passing traffic?
Really? Check out what life is like in our prisons. They wouldn’t come out better but far worse.
The best thing to do if you see someone on overpass is what?
Flashers on, slow down to crawl and get to shoulder.
Take opposite side (lane)which they are standing over.
Stop if possible. Get cell phone and call authorities.
Get picture of course.
They will disappear once they realize you are on to them.
No excuse for calling this a prank.
They were wanting victims.
Makes me sick that people think as they do. We pulled pranks when young. If it harmed someone we did not think of doing it.
Our punishment at home would be enough not to do harmful pranks.
This is part of the problem.
No punishment at there home. No parents. The list is endless.
These young adults screwed up big time. Punishment is indeed called for.
The parents should also spend time in jail too!
Look! If you have a dog (and that’s just what these kids acted like a bunch of wild dogs) you the owner would be heald personally responsible for the actions of your animals and so I don’t see anything wrong with throwing the parents under the bus with their pets. Kids I don’t care know right from wrong and this goes way beyond wrong and it’s long overdue to hold parents accountable for their animals and it should go beyond cutting off their welfare check or suing them they too deserve as much time as the kids get. Not the death penalty though it would clean up the gene pool just long enough for the mother’s overy sacks to dry up and daddy change get his sexual orientation changed personally by Dr. Bubba himself!
This goes beyond outrageous and to tell the truth as quiet as its kept the state should be held accountable because they failed to install a fence over the freeway and should be mandatory in all states or withhold federal funding for highway repairs. If we can waste our time on a fence or wall for a barrier against Mexico we can surely do something constructive across our freeways to keep idiots from terrorizing motorist.
You can’t blame the parents when good kids of that age can be easily swayed by peer pressure to do things they know full well are wrong and possibly dangerous. They should not get off easy. They ruined many lives as well as took one. But death lets them off. There’s no remorse upon death. They need to sleep with their guilty conscience provided they have them. Life or as close as possible!
What happened to the mother that left for children the loan with their husband maybe she should be stoned also as they did in the old days
And the fact that they took off and went to eat….Cold. Lil Bastages..what must their parents be feeling about now? Group mentality and per pressure, It could be any youth. Don’t parents talk to their children anymore? Is truly sad..
My heart goes out to the loved ones of Mr White.
Hope they had a good last meal while free.- Charles
People who have no respect for others, the law, or intentionally act in bad behavior that intentionally causes harm or destruction should be permanently removed from society. According to the article, they should be charged first degree murder. Hang em high.
A lawyer will argue if there are no signs stating it’s illegal to throw stuff off the bridge then the kids did not know better. Then will counter sue the state for negligence. And the boys will all go home rich. Gotta love the American justice system
These murderers need to be … removed …
These miserable gits should be hung high in public…
My thoughts would be, yes it is second degree or as some would say, premeditated murder. They knew exactly what they were doing by bringing rocks from another town. They are old enough to understand the results of what they did so i say treat them as adults and give them life in prison. It may make an impression on other ones that think its cool. I drive a truck for a living anx its bad enough watching the road for texters and other problems. To try to watch the overpasses for such stupidity is a hard thing to do. Make an impression,, give them LIFE so they can think about the lives they ruined.
If? they are the ones that did it, Hang Them all! They don’t deserve to live they took a other man’s life there for they should die, people need to stand up and say this kind of killing is NOT & Never be Ok EVER! & We also can start with are Military, they are showing kid’s it OK to kill win it never was.
Intentional planned murder. That’s all it could be. A rock small enough to stick in a tire and get thrown at a windshield can crack it, but never go clear through and kill someone. A several pond rock dropped on a speeding windshield is planning to kill someone. 70 MPH is 103 ft per second. Might as well be shooting a cannon at it.
They did what they did. With “intention” to harm or kill.
They KNOW the results of what they did.
First degree murder. ALL of them.
They ALL planned and took part in taking “weapons” to point of doing it.
ALSO. Don’t waste money on locking them up. It won’t do any good just a waste of public money.
Be civil.
a Bullet t’ween the eyes. Head strapped in place, looking down the muzzle\Barrel. so they “see” it coming.
and watch each other getting it. ONE at a time.
or a good bolt of electricity. Let THEM feel it as they die.
Others will then. Possibly?? think twice.Though given today’s education. Violence and petty judges.
I don’t think so.
Just make sure you put them down so other idiots will. Maybe. think twice.
I had an experience where my car got hit by a baseball sized rock. I actually saw them, cut across the grass, chased them into high pursuit. They crashed and rolled. I did not stop to help.
The parents of these michigan kids (or any parent with kids between 14-19 that do something like this, should repeat the same act to their own kids) should be the ones to stone them to death. Then be garnished of their wages to support the victims. It is most likely the parents lack of disicpline and proper raising of their own offspring. I get it though, kids will be stupid, so the parents better have an impressive track record to prove otherwise, but that wont let the kids be free, regardless.
If the parents should choose not to stone them, then they should pay the monies for their kids time in prison for the duration, along with supporting the victims. When the money stops, the kids get executed, simple as that. Im okay to pay for the guards wages and the building needs and the bullet that kills the criminals, but not for the criminals welfare. Where was their welfare when they committed the act.
I hope the parents get some type of reprimand as well. Imagine how much better the family welfare would be.
Where are the parents? What ever happen to discipline in this country, oh yeah we as parents can’t discipline our kids, our kids discipline us. These kids were acting in a vicious manner intended on killing someone, they should be hung.
I’m sure these young lads will enjoy the legal system.