Police target rock-attack teens

By Kelly Yates
CASEY police are worried about a rise in incidents involving teens throwing rocks off overpasses, with four attacks reported in the past two weeks.
“That’s four cases too many,” says Senior Constable Allen Inderwisch from the Casey Traffic Management Unit (TMU).
“It’s absolutely silly behaviour which can result in serious injury or death.”
Sen Const Inderwisch said police were now doing regular patrols on the overpasses along the Monash Freeway, in particular the Pound Round and Ernst Wanke Road bridges, in a bid to stop the “extremely dangerous behaviour.”
Police as yet have no descriptions of the youths.
Leading Senior Constable Mick Glendhill from the Narre Warren police station said young male teenagers had been seen running away from the area or disappearing on bicycles around the times of the rock-throwing reports.
Sen Const Inderwisch said if caught; the young men could face serious charges such as recklessly causing serious injury and conduct endangering life, and could face jail time.
Senior Sergeant of the Narre Warren police station Gerry Hengel said he believed the majority of people doing the rock-throwing had no idea about its seriousness.
But Devon Meadows man Jashar Rustemi knows all too well about the seriousness of throwing rocks off overpasses.
Mr Rustemi suffered a shattered collarbone, broken ribs, a broken arm in two places and a punctured lung when a 23 kilogram rock smashed through the windscreen of his delivery truck last month.
The 41-year-old is now recovering at home with his family after spending 10 days at The Alfred hospital.
“I don’t know how people can do anything like this. It’s just not right,” he said.
“They are hurting innocent people.”
Mr Rustemi said the memories of his attack had been wiped out of his mind.
“All I can remember is hearing my son, who was driving the truck at the time, screaming ‘dad, please don’t die’.”
The rock that caused Mr Rustemi’s serious injuries was hurled off the pedestrian overpass and onto his truck on the Monash Freeway, near the Warrigal Road exit on Tuesday 18 May.
Sen Const Inderwisch said CCTV on the overpasses would help police efforts in identifying the rock-throwers.
“The cameras could also work as deterrent as well. Police would welcome any measures that could stop this behaviour,” he said.