Crime & Safety

Rocks Thrown at Cars on I-195

State police report multiple vehicles damaged in area of I-195 bridge over Francis Avenue in Relay.

On the evening of Monday, Feb. 21, Relay resident Donna Davey was nearly home from a trip to Viriginia with her sister. Ordinarily, she would have taken the back roads home, but because of the snowstorm she thought it would be better to take I-195 to Rolling Road.

As their car was on the bridge over Francis Avenue, a large rock lobbed from the right side of the road struck the middle of the windshield, cracking the glass and damaging the hood and front grill of Davey's sister's brand-new car.

She yanked the steering wheel instinctively. Fortunately, there was no car in the adjacent lane. "I ducked and screamed," Davey said. "I thought for sure we were going to die."

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Davey and her sister called the Maryland State Police and reported the incident. By the time the police arrived on the scene, whomever threw the rock was gone.

"It's very dangerous," a shaken Davey said of the rock-throwing. "We survived it. It could have been a lot worse."

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Meanwhile, around the same time, Davey's husband was driving down Francis Avenue and found the road blocked beneath the I-195 bridge by two barrels and a number of large rocks. As he got out of the car to move the barrels out of the way, he could hear voices around the bridge but did not see anybody. Neither he nor the car were hurt in the incident.

Maryland State Police confirmed that there were several reports of cars hit by thrown rocks and debris around the I-195 bridge over Francis Avenue on Monday.

Interstate 195, also known as Metropolitan Boulevard, runs 4.7 miles from UMBC to BWI Airport. Aside from those going to or from the airport, the route is popular with commuters and others who want to avoid Beltway traffic.

Sound barriers are still being constructed along that stretch of the interstate. Until work is completed, the I-195 bridge deck is accessible by walking up the hill from Francis Avenue.


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