Friday, November 20, 2009 East Central Illinois

Basketball-sized rocks dropped from overpass

By Mary Schenk
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 7:00 AM CDT

THOMASBORO – State police at Pesotum are asking the public for help in finding the person or persons dropping rocks from an overpass onto Interstate 57.

Master Sgt. Ryan Starrick of the Pesotum post said no one was injured, but several vehicles were damaged about 9:20 p.m. Monday after running into basketball-sized rocks that had been dropped on to I-57 southbound from the overpass on Champaign County Road 1300 E.

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The location is at milepost 242½, about 4 miles south of Thomasboro.

"We had five vehicles damaged. Three of the five were towed," Starrick said.

Damage was mostly to the tires and undercarriages of the vehicles but was bad enough to disable the three, he said.

Starrick said because the accidents were all reported about the same time, troopers assume the rocks were thrown just minutes before. Troopers are following up on leads but so far have made no arrests.

Starrick said Monday's tossing was the latest in a series of such incidents during the past couple of months.

"Different types of debris have been thrown," he said. "Obviously, the state police take this very seriously. This is a situation where someone could swerve to avoid a rock, and a serious crash could occur."

Anyone with information is urged to call 217-265-0050.

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