2 Teens May Face 'Assault with Deadly Weapon' Charges for Throwing Water Bottles at Cars in Sonoma County

Two Sebastopol teens, 15 and 16 years old, are suspected of throwing water bottles from a truck at other vehicles in February, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

The CHP has completed its investigation of the eight incidents that occurred within days of each other and will send it to the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office for the possible filing of charges, CHP Officer Jon Sloat said.

The teen suspects face charges of felony assault with a deadly weapon likely to cause great bodily injury, misdemeanor throwing a substance at a moving vehicle, being a principle in commission of a felony and being an accessory, Sloat said.

Drivers reported occupants were throwing full water bottles from a white Toyota Tacoma at their vehicles in west Sonoma County and on Santa Rosa Avenue and Petaluma Hill Road around Feb. 20 and the days that followed, Sloat said.

The bottles broke through the windshields of two vehicles leaving softball sized holes and covering one driver in glass, and another bottle broke the driver's side mirror of a Geo Metro, the CHP said.

The CHP received tips from the public when a photo from a video of the suspect's truck driving south on Santa Rosa Avenue was distributed in the media, Sloat said.

Once the truck was identified, its registered owner came forward and the assaults stopped, Sloat said.

Investigators identified the teens from video surveillance, school records and cellphone records, Sloat said.

The 16-year-old driver had just received his license in January and was restricted from driving passengers under 20 without adult supervision, Sloat said.

--Bay City News