On Wednesday afternoon, the suspects arrested and charged in the death of Alexa Bartell by rock-throwing appeared in Jefferson County Court. They are now facing several additional charges in addition to those originally filed against them when they were arrested last month.
Each of Joseph Koenig, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik, and Zachary Kwak faces 13 charges in connection with rock-throwing attacks that killed Alexa Bartell, 20, and injured others. The suspects are all 18 years old and high school seniors. One goes to Ralston Valley High School, another to Standley Lake High School in Westminster, and the third to online school.
They are charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, as well as multiple counts of assault and attempted assault.
Bartell, of Arvada, was killed late at night on April 19 when a rock shattered her windshield as she drove on the 10600 block of Indiana Street near the Jefferson and Boulder county lines. Her car went off the road and ended up in a field. She was talking to a friend on the phone when she was struck, and the phone went silent.
Earlier that night, two other people were injured in rock attacks. Authorities now describe the “large landscaping rocks” that hit seven vehicles as “large landscaping rocks.” The suspects are thought to have been in a moving vehicle when the rocks were thrown.
A flower and pinwheel memorial for Bartell now sits along a fence next to Indiana Street, where she died.
The three suspects are still being held without bond and are scheduled to appear in court on May 16 for their next appearance.
