On April 19, 2023, a tragic chain of events occurred when three teens from Colorado went on a reckless rock-throwing rampage. This caused chaos on the highways and resulted in the untimely death of 20-year-old Alexa Bartell near Denver.
The three people responsible for the incident were Joseph Koenig, Nicholas Mitch Karol-Chik, and Zachary Kwak. They threw big rocks at passing cars, injuring three people and tragically taking Bartell’s life.
Nicholas Mitch Karol-Chik recently took the painful choice to enter a guilty plea to many counts, which included attempted first-degree murder, crime of violence, and second-degree murder.
That fateful night, Karol-Chik, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, gave Koenig the rock that hit Bartell’s automobile. The initial 15 counts against Karol-Chik were dropped as a result of his plea.
Three 18-year-old high school seniors, Kwak, Koenig, and Karol-Chik, were arrested about a week after the crime and charged with first-degree murder with extreme indifference.
Karol-Chik’s sentencing is set for September 10, and he now faces a severe prison term that could last anywhere from 35 to 72 years. To make matters worse, Karol-Chik and Koenig had also been involved in other instances in which objects were thrown at drivers.
Zachary Kwak took ownership of the situation when he entered a guilty plea to fresh counts of assault in the first and second degrees as well as criminal attempt to commit assault in the second degree. Kwak’s initial charges were reduced as a result of his plea, and his September 3 sentencing date now carries a 20–32 year jail sentence.
Joseph Koenig, meanwhile, has chosen to stand by his not guilty plea, and his trial is scheduled to start on July 19. The court cases pertaining to this terrible incident highlight the importance of accountability in the pursuit of justice as well as the somber realities of careless actions.