The windshield of the SUV driven by a Cook County Sheriff's Deputy shows the damage done by a rock apparently thrown at the car Saturday night from an I-55 overpass. (Photo from Matt Rudnick / May 13, 2012) Posted by Nicholas Stix
I am interpreting what the Trib is calling "rocks" to be chunks of conrete, and similar-sized projectiles.
Driver pelted by rocks on I-55: “What the heck just happened?”
By Carlos Sadovi
May 13, 2012, 1:07 p.m. CDT
Chicago Tribune
Matt Rudnick was driving north on I-55 on his way to work Saturday evening when the Cook County Sheriff's deputy heard a loud boom.
For a few seconds Rudnick thought his 2004 Ford Explorer may have crashed into another vehicle but then he spotted a softball-sized indentation in the windshield glass.
"All of a sudden there was an extremely large bang ... my front windshield is busted out," said Rudnick. "I pulled over and took a second or so just to [think] what the heck just happened?"
The incident happened between 10:15 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. as he was driving driving under a freight train overpass between Pulaski Road and Kedzie Avenue on his way to his job at the jail complex at 26th and California Avenue.
He said that after pulling over and collecting himself, he called state police officials. He then noticed that about six other vehicles also had pulled over, including a Humvee limousine and a woman whose sunroof was shattered.
"If she didn't have it fully closed the glass and or the rock would have definitely hit her in the head," said Rudnick.
After realizing that the rocks must have been tossed from the overpass, Rudnick ran there but whoever was responsible had bolted.
"I didn't see anyone up there, they probably took off," said Rudnick.
Illinois state police suspect that someone or several people were responsible for the incident and are investigating, officials said. They said the overpass is where Central Park Avenue would be located if it crossed the expressway and that there were no reported injuries and no one was in custody.
Just last week, officials believe that vandals were behind a rock throwing incident that damaged several cars on the Skyway. Officials at first suspected that a sniper may have fired at moving vehicles on the expressway but they later concluded that someone had been throwing rocks. Two boys, ages 14 and 15, were charged in that incident Friday.
In addition to his windshield, the front right light on Rudnick's SUV was also damaged. He said small shards of glass spread inside his car, but luckily he was safe and his family was not inside the SUV at the time. He said he is expecting to shell out $300 to $500 to fix the damage.
"It's not like my car didn't need a cleaning anyway, but ...," said Rudnick.
csadovi@tribune.com
Twitter: @ChicagoBreaking
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