Rock allegedly thrown from Utah interstate overpass smashes car windshield
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A rock smashed into a Salt Lake City man's windshield while he was driving on the highway.
Sam Fairbourn was heading home from work on I-215, near Parleys Way around noon on May 22.
"A rock just smashes in," he said. "Everything kind of exploded back, and it was crazy. I'm glad I was wearing my sunglasses because I do remember the glass just shot back and hit me."
The incident happened on the interstate, underneath a bridge overpass, which can be accessed from the trail by the Grandeur Peak Trailhead.
Fairbourn said he calmly got off the interstate and reached out to law enforcement. He said he thinks this may have happened because someone threw a rock from the bridge he was driving under.
"I do believe it fell straight forward, bounced off the ground and right into the car," Fairbourn said. "I don't think people realize how dangerous this can be. It sounds like it's just some fun, smashing windshields, but you're messing with peoples' lives, and that's not okay.
He added that the rock landed on the dashboard, "and a few more inches would have been myself.”
While Utah Highway Patrol can't confirm exactly what happened in this incident, Sgt. Brian Peterson said dispatch does receive a fair number of calls about rocks or debris hitting windshields. UHP couldn't find a case number for Fairbourn's case, and UDOT says cameras in the area do not record. They're used for their live feeds.
"We do have teams out there who are looking for vehicles who don't secure their loads, but there's only enough of us," Peterson said. "We don't have enough troopers to stop everyone throughout the state."
They reminded drivers to please be proactive and secure their loads. UHP also said throwing rocks off an overpass into traffic is illegal in Utah.
Meanwhile, Sam said he's working on getting his car fixed. Right now, it's looking like repairs will cost around $350 dollars, so he jokes, "It's a $350 dollar rock."
