There are a number of things that can cause automotive glass to shatter spontaneously and when it happens many shocked drivers usually fear the worst – that they have been shot at or someone has thrown something at their car.
A recent spike in the number of cases involving shattered windows along Highway 24 in Lafayette, however, has raised the suspicions of the California Highway Patrol, which is investigating the cause of the tempered glass explosions – including the suspicions of some locals that people are throwing things from the El Curtola over-crossing.
“We are concerned about the incidents that are occurring in that general area but we haven’t narrowed it down to the over-cross or somewhere off the freeway,” CHP Officer Brandon Correia said Wednesday. “And we’re not sure what the objects even are other than it’s something large enough and heavy enough to break windows.”
Investigators said the incidents appear totally random, with no specific time or area of occurrence, and that so far no projectiles have been recovered. They are hoping for more information from the driving public.
“We do want the public to report these incidences as soon as they happen and giving their specific time frame and location of where it occurred so we can better investigate these,” Correia said.
In extreme cases, where someone has been injured or perhaps a suspect sighted, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency situations contact the CHP at 1-800-TELL-CHP (1-800-835-5247)
Well, I’ve never had anything thrown through my window, but I would think if someone threw something from an overpass, the object would land inside my car. This would scare the crap out of me. I drive Highway 24 daily. I’m hoping for more information myself.
Right. We’ve seen it with bricks, rocks, cinderblock, etc. Sometimes with fatal effect. But this one has us puzzled! We’re watching it…
Odd.
Could be something criminal or it could be dump trucks not covering their loads. A pebble that’s kicked up and then hits your window just right will shatter it. Whatever it is, let’s hope they pinpoint the cause soon.
Road trash.
How about chunks of ice? It would melt pretty quick. Just watched Christmas Vacation and there is a scene in there. Just a thought
@Kat’sMeow – readers pretty thoroughly discussed this one on our Facebook page, and dismissed it as the size of the ice chunk required to inflict that kind of damage would have to be substantial. Had an incident and reported sighting of perpetrators earlier today, but so far the victim has failed to materialize…