A 20-year-old Colorado woman tragically lost her life after three teenagers threw a rock through her car windshield while she was driving. The incident occurred as part of a series of rock-throwing attacks on moving vehicles, which the suspects had been carrying out for approximately two months. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) arrested the three 18-year-old suspects, Joseph Koenig, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik, and Zachary Kwak, in connection with the homicide of Alexa Bartell.
During a preliminary hearing, the lead investigator assigned to the case revealed that the suspects had engaged in rock-throwing attacks on cars about 10 times between February and April. Prior to the fatal incident, Koenig and Karol-Chik allegedly threw a landscaping “statue head” at another vehicle in April. The suspects admitted to not only targeting vehicles but also aiming at people driving.
On the night of April 19 and April 20, the suspects threw rocks at six different cars, resulting in injuries to multiple drivers and the death of Bartell. The suspects obtained the rocks from a Walmart parking lot after meeting up. A fourth friend witnessed them loading the rocks into their vehicle but asked to be driven home before the rampage began. Koenig was driving the truck at the time.
According to a witness, Koenig frequently engaged in destructive behavior and enjoyed causing chaos. Bartell was speaking with her friend on the phone when the rock hit her windshield, causing her to abruptly stop talking. The suspects, driving at approximately 80 mph, noticed the damage they had caused and drove past Bartell’s vehicle, which had swerved into a field. Kwak even took a photo of Bartell’s car as a “memento.” Koenig declared the group “blood brothers” upon realizing Bartell’s death.
Bartell’s friend used a phone-finder app to track her location and found her stationary vehicle in a field. The suspects were identified through cellphone data that tied them to the crime scenes. During questioning, Kwak insisted that he did not throw the fatal rock, expressing his need for the detective to believe him.
All three suspects are now facing charges including first-degree murder, extreme indifference, attempted first-degree murder, second-degree assault, and attempted second-degree assault.
This tragic incident highlights the dangers of reckless behavior and the devastating consequences it can have. The loss of Alexa Bartell serves as a reminder of the importance of safe driving and the need to address the issue of rock-throwing attacks on moving vehicles.
