FourOhioteenagers have been charged with murder for allegedly throwing a sandbag off an overpass that struck and killed a 22-year-old man.
Authorities say a construction sandbag was thrown over the Indiana Avenue bridge onto Interstate 75 in Toledo on Dec. 19, around 10 p.m. The bag landed on a car, crashed through the windshield and critically injured the front passenger, Marquise Byrd, of Warren, Michigan.
The driver, who was heading south on I-75, was not injured.
“God, God... he is laid out at my feet,” the driver said in a frantic 911 call. “I think this windshield might have smacked his head.”
Byrd, who sustained a serious head injury, was treated at the scene and transported to a local hospital.
“Detectives determined the falling sandbag was not an accident, but a deliberate act,” Toledo police said.
Four boys, three of them 14 years old and one 13, were taken into custody not far from the overpass. On Dec. 20, they were charged with felonious assault in juvenile court.
Advertisement
“This is a case where the state has very strong evidence ― there were statements made by all of the juveniles involved in this case,” Lucas County Deputy Prosecutor Lori Olender told the Toledo Blade.
Byrd died on Friday, prompting the prosecutor’s office to amend the criminal complaint. The teens now face charges of murder, felony vehicular vandalism and misdemeanor vehicular vandalism.
HuffPost is not identifying the defendants because they have been charged in juvenile court. They are being held without bail at a Toledo juvenile detention center.
According to The Plain Dealer, other drivers said their vehicles were struck by objects thrown from the overpass on Dec. 19, but no other injuries were reported.
Byrd, the father of a 1-year-old boy, was reportedly engaged to be married.
“My auntie has to bury her son,” Shaveontae King, Byrd’s cousin, told the Blade. “He’s gone [and] he’s never coming back.”
Advertisement
King said she’d like to see the teens charged as adults ― something the district attorney’s office has reportedly indicated it does not plan to do.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article said other drivers reported their vehicles were struck by thrown objects on Dec. 20. The date was actually Dec. 19.
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.