Drone used to find teens suspected of throwing rocks at cars from bridge

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Deputies used a drone equipped with infrared technology to find teenagers suspected of throwing big rocks onto vehicles passing under a bridge in Union County on Friday, according to WSOC-TV and the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

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Deputies said they went to the Monroe Expressway on Friday evening after getting reports of people throwing rocks off a bridge and onto the expressway. Authorities found a semi-truck and trailer that had been struck by a rock, “causing significant damage to the roof of the truck and the front side of the trailer,” officials said.

“Thankfully, the driver was not injured,” according to deputies.

Authorities launched a drone to search the area for the culprits and found “several distinct heat signatures hiding near the on-ramp to the expressway,” officials said. The group ran as deputies approached. Two were caught, though deputies said they later determined five teens between the ages of 13 and 15 were responsible for the damage.

The five are facing criminal charges, WSOC reported. Their identities were not released because of their ages, officials said.

In a statement, Sheriff Eddie Cathey emphasized that throwing rocks off the bridge and onto people driving commercial vehicles on the Monroe Expressway “could have seriously injured or killed one of the drivers who were just trying to work hard and provide for their families.”

“The deputies investigating this incident were able to respond quickly and utilized the right equipment to locate, identify, and ensure the juveniles responsible for this incident will be held accountable,” he said.

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