Boys will be boys is a saying some in Texas might be familiar with. Recently, two teenagers were recently arrested for allegedly acting in just such a manner. The pair now face a felony charge of criminal mischief as well as an aggravated assault charge with a deadly weapon.
After Texas police were notified that two people may have been tossing items from an overpass onto the Interstate, they were unable to locate either of the described suspects. At that point, a total of three people had reported that these items had struck their vehicle as they were driving. However, only two of those actually spoke with the authorities.
A couple of hours later, police were again alerted to the possibility of individuals throwing items. Based off of what some witnesses were reporting, police believed that the suspects may have been kids. They later located two teenage boys who reportedly bore a physical likeness to what witnesses had described. In total, 11 vehicles were struck by falling rocks and railroad spikes, including an 18-wheeler, whose driver was injured.
As both of the accused are 14 years old, they face the possibility of being charged as adults, although it is unclear whether the prosecution will push for this option. Facing a felony charge as an adult rather than as a juvenile can have serious, lifelong implications for alleged actions of children that are still so young. An astute review of the charges alongside their counsel will likely be the first step in determining how to proceed in order to pursue the most favorable outcome possible for these two boys.
Source: kens5.com, “Two North Texas teens face felony charges for throwing items at passing cars”, , July 20, 2014