Three males accused of hurling massive rocks at a number of automobiles west of Denver final week, killing a 20-year-old girl, drove again to take an image of her automotive after the deadly crash, arrest paperwork present.
“We have to return and see that,” one man stated to his two pals after a landscaping rock smashed by way of Alexa Bartell’s window, putting her within the head and killing her April 19, in line with an arrest affidavit.
One of many suspects advised police he felt a “trace of guilt,” however that each one three had been excited when the rocks they threw hit a automotive. He and one other man suspected within the rock-throwing spree had been throwing rocks at automobiles on at the very least 10 events since February.
Joseph Koenig, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik and Zachary Kwak, all 18, face first-degree homicide expenses. Authorities say the boys acted with “excessive indifference,” which means they allegedly meant to kill somebody however didn’t care whom. They appeared in court docket Thursday morning, after they had been arrested Wednesday morning at their houses in Arvada.
A choose ordered every be held with out bond, a court docket spokesman confirmed.
Karol-Chik stated Kwak threw the rock that killed 20-year-old Bartell whereas she was driving on Indiana Road at about 10:45 p.m. Kwak stated Koenig threw it. Koenig refused to be interviewed by police.
Karol-Chik’s lawyer couldn’t instantly be reached. Courtroom information present that the opposite two males are being represented by the general public defender’s workplace, however didn’t record the names of their attorneys.
Based on the arrest affidavit, Kwak stated he remembered listening to a loud noise that gave the impression of a “rail gun” capturing a block of concrete when the rock smashed Bartell’s window. After seeing the automotive run off the street, they circled and he took a photograph of the automotive as a “memento” for Karol-Chik and Koenig.
On their drive residence, the boys talked about being “blood brothers” and vowed to by no means converse in regards to the incident once more, the affidavit stated. Kwak stated he met with Koenig the following day to get their tales straight and deny their involvement.
A buddy described Koenig to investigators as somebody who often partakes in damaging habits as a result of he likes creating chaos, the affidavit stated. He stated he was with the three males hours earlier than the rock-throwing spree as they collected landscaping rocks from a close-by Walmart parking zone.
They picked up “as many as they might carry,” putting them within the again seat of their truck, the affidavit stated. The buddy advised police he knew “one thing dangerous was going to occur” and requested to be pushed residence, which he was.
When investigators discovered Bartell’s automotive, there was a big gap within the entrance windshield on the driving force’s aspect and the rear window was utterly damaged out. Bartell appeared to have a wound to her head and was pronounced lifeless on the scene, in line with the affidavit.
Close to her automotive, they discovered a big bloodstained landscaping rock.
Investigators stated Bartell’s automotive was the final automotive struck in a sequence shortly after 10 p.m. in Westminster on April 19. Drivers of two different autos suffered minor accidents.
