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UPDATE: Teens Caught Throwing Items onto I-81

INTERSTATE 81 — It has happened again. Kids were caught throwing stuff off of bridges that go over a busy interstate. Back in July, a woman was seriously ...
lacka susq mischief

INTERSTATE 81 -- It has happened again.

Kids were caught throwing stuff off of bridges that go over a busy interstate.

Back in July, a woman was seriously hurt when it happened on Interstate 80 in Union County.

This time it happened on I-81 in Susquehanna and Lackawanna counties.

Traffic on Interstate 81 has smooth sailing again, but overnight the highway between northern Lackawanna County and southern Susquehanna County was littered for miles with broken down vehicles.

Three teens threw all sorts of stuff onto the highway including fire extinguishers, rocks, wood, even metal railings from an overpass in Greenfield Township, according to state police.

"People from Clifford travel to Scranton all the time and they go right under that overpass, and it`s troubling and safety of our roads and interstates is something you take for granted," said Sally Fischbeck of Clifford.

Troopers said more than two dozen vehicles hit the debris. Many had blown out tires and damage under the hood like two still parked at a tow yard just off I-81.

Police nabbed the teens at the bridge and troopers said the trio from Susquehanna County will face charges in juvenile court. Two of the teens are 16 years old, the third is 17.

"That is no misdemeanor. Someone who is that thoughtless about their fellow man, they need a little more than a little juvenile detention. They need to do some time," said Robert Lamarche of Florida.

Prosecutors said the spree started north in the Lenox area and went south, lasting four hours and now tens of thousands of dollars in damage has been done.

"I feel like you don`t resort to that unless there`s something troubling going on in your life. I kind of hope someone can reach out to them and others like them and prevent this from happening again," said Stefan Ward-Wheaton of Massachusetts.

In a case such as this, a judge can make the juveniles and/or their parents pay restitution, said prosecutors.

Anyone who may have had their vehicle damaged can call state police in Susquehanna County or Lackawanna County.

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