NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk Police Department is investigating after a group of people allegedly threw rocks at passing cars in Downtown Norfolk Tuesday night, damaging at least two vehicles.
It was a frightening moment for drivers on the underpass.
“I thought it was a freak accident at first,” said Janice Dulay of Norfolk. “It was definitely startling, and I didn’t know what was going on.”
Dulay was heading to dinner around 7:40 p.m. that night when she passed under the Norfolk railroad bridge by 21st Street and Colley Avenue. She said she suddenly heard a loud bang on her windshield.
“A huge piece of cinderblock bounced off my windshield and just completely shattered it from the passenger side,” said Dulay.
Dulay said vandals hurled baseball-sized rocks at her car. Her windshield shattered and she said the glass flew into her backseat.
“It was like an explosion,” she said. “I was definitely just in shock.”
And she wasn’t the only driver targeted.
Alex Moomaw and his family were also on the underpass nearly 15 minutes beforehand. His two young kids were sitting in the back seat.
“My daughter got scared and cried,” the Norfolk father said.
Moomaw said he saw a group of teens standing on top the bridge but couldn’t turn around.
“I was a sitting target,” Moomaw said. “I was worried about them throwing more rocks, dropping bigger rocks - something that could do more damage to myself or my vehicle or my family.”
The crashing rocks punctured his hood and roof and cracked part of his windshield. He quickly called police but by the time they showed up, the vandals were gone.
According to police, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the area of 21st Street and Colley Avenue after a driver reported that their windshield was shattered while they drove under an underpass.
Norfolk Police currently have a vandalism report on file related to the event.
Witnesses said at least four people were involved in throwing rocks.
News 3 heard from at least five drivers whose cars were damaged.
Both Dulay and Moomaw said they saw the group of kids also throwing rocks at people walking by.
“I just hope they don’t cause any harm to somebody because that’s a really dangerous thing to do,” said Dulay.
The families have an expensive fix but are glad they’re OK.
“What I teach my kids is to do good, do better… and that is not that at all,” Moomaw said.
Police are investigating these incidents and looking for the suspects. If caught, they could face charges.
