Cars damaged, woman injured by rocks thrown on I-696 in Warren; teens charged

WARREN, Mich. – Four cars were damaged and a woman was injured by rocks being thrown Sunday night onto I-696.

Drivers traveling on I-696 in Warren around midnight were hit with rocks.

One driver, Marina, said she heard a bang when a rock hit the roof of her car, just missing her windshield.

“If there was a passenger in my seat, it could have killed them or hurt them really bad,” she said.

Four men were arrested and charged.

Johnathan Pendell, Nicholas Hewelt and Joseph Rossi, all 19, and John Portalski, 18, were charged with malicious destruction of property and throwing objects at a vehicle.

The families of the men said they are honors students in college who have been friends since they were in the first grade.

Marina feels they should have been charged with more.

“I feel like it’s almost like attempted murder,” she said. “You’re really out to hurt somebody or kill somebody.”

Police said the incident doesn't appear to be related to other rock throwing incidents. 

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Jason is Local 4’s utility infielder. In addition to anchoring the morning newscast, he often reports on a variety of stories from the tragic, like the shootings at Michigan State, to the off-beat, like great gas station food.