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Driver Recalls Rock Incident On I-35

Driver Recalls Rock Incident On I-35

By: 

Julia Russell

Photojournalist: 

Nathaniel LeCapitaine
FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT

Regions: 

  • Twin Ports

Topics: 

  • Crime
http://www.fox21online.com/sites/default/files/rock%20guy%20112114.mp4
SUPERIOR - Picture this; you're driving home from work and a huge rock flies through your windshield.  Well, that exact scene happened to a Superior college student a few days ago and he lived to tell about it. For Matthew Fijalkiewicz, a typical drive home late Sunday night after work turned into anything but when a massive rock smashed into his window -- sending him to the hospital for four days. “I have a plate and four screws holding that together right now,” explained Fijalkiewicz. A broken clavicle and bruises around his heart and lung seem pretty minimal when a huge rock slams through your windshield. “It was hard to believe that someone would do such a thing,” said Fijalkiewicz. “And how unlucky it was that it was me.” His 2013 Ford Tarsus looks a lot different now than it did a few days ago. “The last time I was here I had a huge hole in front of my face and I was covered in glass,” he remembers. As he took a seat behind the wheel, memories of what happened a few days ago came rushing back. “Overwhelmingly loud bang, I struggled to get the car pulled over but I did,” Fijalkiewicz remembers. “I looked down and there was a huge rock in my lap.” The huge rock that was dropped from an interstate overpass is being held as evidence by the Minnesota State Patrol. “Thank God we don't get a lot of these calls,” explained Sgt. Neil Dickenson. “There are some serious changes for somebody that does do something like this.” Felony charges to be exact, and if they don't get any leads on the rock, state patrol will send it to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and try to get some fingerprints off it. “A few inches further could have struck him in the head and knocked him unconscious,” Sgt. Dickenson said. The words "what if" are on repeat in Fijalkiewicz’s mind. “What if it was a senior citizen,” he asked himself. “What if it was a pregnant woman? It may have had a different outcome if it wasn't me.” Sitting in his car Friday afternoon, all he could do was wonder why, and be thankful he's alive. “Anyway you look at it, why would you throw a rock at a passing car?” Fijalkiewicz said.The State Patrol has launched a statewide search for the person who threw the rock. If you have any info on the incident, call Sgt. Aaron Churness at (218) 302-6104 or Sgt. Neil Dickenson at (218) 302-6105.

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