May 4 (UPI) — Three Colorado teens have been charged with first-degree murder for last month’s rock-throwing death of Alexa Bartell, prosecutors said.
Bartell, 20, of Arvada, died the night of April 19 while driving northbound near the 10600 block of Indiana Street in Jefferson County. At about 10:45 p.m. while talking on the phone with a friend, Bartell was struck by a large rock that had been thrown at her vehicle.
Authorities said her body was found off the roadway in a field by her friend who tracked down her location after their phone call went silent.
Between 10 p.m. and 10:45 p.m. that night, a total seven vehicles were struck by rocks in the northwestern area of Jefferson County, killing Bartell and injuring three others.
Days following the incident, police arrested 18-year-olds Nicholas James Karol-Chik, Joseph Edwin Koenig and Zachary Hiestand Kwak.
On Wednesday, Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King charged each of the teens with one count of first-degree murder, six counts of first-degree criminal attempt to commit murder, three counts of second-degree assault and three counts of second-degree attempt to commit assault.
The suspects are being held without bond and appeared in court Wednesday afternoon for the return filing of the charges.
“Based on the available facts and after careful legal analysis, we have filed charges and will now move forward with a criminal prosecution,” King said in a statement Wednesday. “It is important to remember that these individuals are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty. As in every case, our goal is to seek justice.”