Three High School Seniors Face Murder Charges for Rock Attacks on Cars Ending in Death of 20-Year-Old

Alexa Bartell
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
Katherine Hamilton

Three suspects have been arrested for allegedly throwing large landscaping rocks toward seven different cars driving in Colorado last week, with one incident resulting in the death of 20-year-old Alexa Bartell, ABC News reported. 

The three suspects, who are all 18-year-old high school seniors, were arrested at their parents’ homes in Arvada overnight and are facing first-degree murder charges, with extreme indifference, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday. More charges are expected, according to the sheriff’s office. 

Authorities said it is not clear which suspect or suspects — Joseph Koenig, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik, and Zachary Kwak — were driving during the incidents, but all three are suspected of throwing rocks. The suspect or suspects appear to have thrown the rocks while driving, according to authorities. 

The sheriff’s office said Alexa was killed when a rock was lobbed through her windshield as she was driving northbound on Indiana Street at 10:45 p.m. on April 19. Alexa’s car was the last of seven cars to be struck by large landscaping rocks “in a spree that began shortly after 10 p.m.” that same night in Westminster, according to the sheriff’s office. 

Drivers suffered minor injuries in two of the other incidents, according to the report. 

“When I found out that this series of events actually took a young lady’s life, I feel for Alexa and her family,” said Nathan Tipton, one of the uninjured drivers. “It put me in a bit of a shock. My wife, it really got to her.”

“Nobody should lose their child for a random act. … It’s heartbreaking,” he continued.

The suspects are expected to appear in court on Thursday, according to officials. 

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