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A man suspected of throwing rocks and debris at passing vehicles on I-90 was chased down by a motorist Tuesday (July 20) before getting arrested, KOMO reports.
Reporters said 41-year-old Abdinasir Audeer is being held in King County Jail on $500,000 bail after a judge found probable cause for four counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon.
The suspect allegedly hurled debris toward at least seven vehicles from the side of westbound lanes of I-90 near the Rainier Avenue exit, according to Washington State Patrol (WSP) Trooper Chase VanCleave.
“It’s dangerous," Trooper Van Cleave said. "It’s reckless and it’s scary and it can really hurt people. I can’t tell people how to feel safe. The state patrol is working tirelessly. We’ve invested a ton of resources into ensuring that people who drive on our freeways, feel safe. You should feel safe.”
State Department of Transportation (DOT) cameras also caught an unknown man chasing someone who may have been throwing debris at vehicles. VanCleave confirmed to KOMO that it was a motorist that pursued the suspect and even helped identify him. A trooper was able to arrest the suspect after arriving at the scene.
"Video from Air 4 showed a trooper examining several items on the hood of his cruiser that appeared to be rocks and other large debris," reporters added.
Prosecutors said Audeer's criminal history dates back to 2012, which includes 18 arrest warrants. Not all charges were prosecuted, but some include possession of weapons, harassment, and assault.
Van Cleave revealed during a news conference that five people have been arrested in connection to the I-90 and I-5 attacks in Seattle. Including Tuesday's incident, there have been 209 reported attacks where debris was thrown at motorists.