3 High School Students Arrested After Rock-Throwing Fatality

Several Colorado high school students were arrested for a rocking-throwing incident that turned deadly. 

According to authorities, three 18-year-olds—Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik, Joseph Koenig, and Zachary Kwa—hurled a landscape rock at Alexa Bartell, 20, as she drove by, resulting in her death. 

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared a statement confirming Bartell “was killed when a rock was thrown through her windshield as she was driving north” on Indiana Street in Westminster, around 10:45 p.m. on April 19.

Bartell and six additional cars were targeted as they were “struck by large landscaping rocks in a spree,” officials said, per NBC News.

Sheriff’s spokesperson Jacki Kelley spoke to reporters, saying, “This case touched a lot of people deeply. This was a beautiful young woman with her whole life in front of her who was simply driving home, and her life was ended as a result of these acts. It was shocking to a community, and people wanted to find out who was involved.”

Kelley described the “large boulder landscaping rocks” as being “four to six inches in size and about three to five pounds apiece.”

Two suspects were arrested on Tuesday at about 11 p.m., while the last one was arrested at 2 a.m. on Wednesday in Arvada, Colorado. They face first-degree murder charges. 

The suspects all lived with their parents and were enrolled in Jefferson County Public Schools. One senior goes to Ralston Valley High School, while another attends Standley Lake High. The third is participating in an online schooling program.  

The official’s office confirmed the arrest to the victim’s family. “They’re just grateful,” Kelley said. “They’re still suffering the greatest loss possible.”

Officials have yet to confirm who threw the object that killed Alexa Bartell.