Students who ‘killed driver Alexa Bartell, 20, by hurling rock through windscreen took grisly souvenir pics of crash' | The Sun

04/28/2023

THE students accused of killing a female driver by throwing a rock through her windshield reportedly returned to the horror scene and took pictures of the crash, cops have said.

Alexa Bartell, 20, died after she crashed into a field outside Denver, Colorado on April 19.

High schoolers Joseph Koenig, Nicholas Karol-Chik, and Zachary Kwak, 18, were arrested and face murder charges.

It has since emerged that Kwak reportedly told the other teens that they had to return after initially fleeing the scene in Jefferson County,according to an affidavit obtained by The Colorado Sun.

Kwak told cops that he took a picture as he believed his friends wanted a “memento."

Karol-Chik, who was known as Mitch among friends, reportedly told officers that he felt a “hint of guilt.”

The police affidavit has claimed that Koenig and Karol-Chik talked about being “blood brothers," according to Kwak.

They apparently told each other that they couldn’t speak about the incident again.

Cops said that a large rock went through the windshield of Alexa's Chevrolet Spark.

Kwak compared the sound of the rock hitting Alexa’s windshield to a “rail gun,” according to the court documents.

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Cops do not know who hurled the rock at Alexa’s car as their investigations continue.

Police said that a pal she was speaking with on the phone at the time of the incident became concerned when the line suddenly went dead.

The “Find My iPhone” tool helped authorities trace Alexa’s car to a field where she had crashed.

Cops found “blood all over” and a pool of blood on Alexa’s lap, according to the docs.

Alexa was found with a serious head injury and medics couldn't find a pulse.

Detectives revealed that the rock had a blood stain on it, according to the affidavit.

Investigators used cell phone data to identify the teenagers and also received information from one of Koenig’s ex-co-workers.

They claimed that Koenig and the other two teens were putting landscaping rocks into their pick-up truck.

Tributes have been paid to Alexa following her death.

In a statement, obtained by the ABC affiliate KMGH, Alexa's family said that their worlds were "forever changed."

They added: "Alexa was an amazing daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin, and friend.

"She was an intelligent, kindhearted soul, with a bright future ahead of her.

"Alexa would do anything for those she knew and loved. This beautiful young life was taken way too soon."

It has also emerged that two other motorists suffered minor injuries on the night Alexa was killed.

Uber driver Nathan Tipton told the Denver Post that a rock hit the passenger side of his vehicle.

The 49-year-old told reporters: “My first initial reaction was anger. I thought somebody threw something at my car and damaged my car, could've done something else to myself.”

He revealed that he could not see who threw the rocks as it was dark at the time of the incident.

Cops believe that the suspects hurled rocks at at least six vehicles.