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A man facing charges for allegedly throwing rocks at drivers on I-5 in Seattle spoke with his alleged victims about "radioactive rocks" after the incident, according to KIRO 7.
Jerald Alan Grochowski appeared in King County District Court on Monday (July 3) for his bail hearing. According to his alleged victims, he was chucking rocks at vehicles on I-5 Saturday afternoon (July 1), causing damage and forcing them to pull over.
“It is the most random act of violence you can possibly imagine,” Dan Zhalmann, one of the drivers who helped catch Grochowski, told reporters. He said he was driving northbound on the interstate and approaching the West Seattle exit when something suddenly struck his windshield.
“An explosion happened on my windshield,” he recounted. “I got hit by a rock, probably, I estimate, about a two or three-pound rock.”
After Zhalmann pulled over, he noticed two other cars were also damaged at that moment. The drivers spoke with each other to identify the suspect and kept an eye on Grochowski until a state trooper arrived. Zhalmann alleges Grochowski approached them at some point and started speaking jibberish.
“Some fairly nonsensical talk about prior military service,” Zahlmann recalled. “Something about radioactive rocks.”
Reporters said the suspect asked Judge Rebecca Robertson if he could speak during the proceedings.
“May I make a statement?” Grochowski requested, followed by a similar question. Robertson replied, "No, sir."
After refusing to comply, she had him removed from the courtroom. The judge also ordered him held on a $50,000 bail.
According to jail records, Grochowski is in custody at the King County Jail on investigation of assault and malicious mischief.