Cars targeted again by “projectiles” on Highway 101

UPDATE 3/23/2019 5:15 p.m. CHP says that another car was hit by a “projectile” on Highway 101 near Prunedale.

It happened Friday around 10:00 a.m. near the Red Barn. Since January, 12 to 15 vehicles have been hit by “projectiles.”

PREVIOUS STORY: Cars driving on Highway 101 are once again being targeted in North Monterey County. California Highway Patrol tells KION that at least four cars have been damaged Monday night by “some sort of a projectile at a high velocity.” There are no reports of any injuries. According to CHP, there is no evidence of a gunshot.

Sgt. Robert Lehman says this is happening around Crazy Horse Canyon Road. The first call came in at around 8 p.m. and the latest incident was just after 9 p.m. As of 10 p.m., there are officers on the scene canvassing for suspects and evidence.

Salinas resident Liz Castillo was one of the victims in the projectile attack. She was on her way to Fresno with her family when they heard a powerful crash, leaving their van’s back left window shattered.

“i didn’t see [anyone], it happened so fast I couldn’t see nothing and it was dark,” Liz Castillo said.

Whatever object smashed into Castillo’s back window shattered the glass completely right where her three-year-old son was sitting terrified.

“He was in the back, and i was trying to see if he had glass on him, or something. But he was okay,” Castillo said.

The CHP said they are investigating who is behind the vandalism. That has targeted more than 10 cars this month in the same area on highway 101.

We spoke with a windshield repair man who said he believes its it’s clear this isn’t an accident.

“There is zero chance that’s gravel coming off the road,” Owner of Sudden Impact Frank Dornan said.

And we learned it doesn’t take much for a window to shatter like Castillo’s did last night.

“Single layered tempered glass a regular BB gun even a low powered BB gun if I shot that right now [the window] would fall inside the car,” Dornan said.

According to Dornan side car windows are designed that way for safety.

Lehman says it appears the objects are coming from the west side of Highway 101.

This has been an ongoing issue on that stretch of the busy highway. Earlier this month, two moving cars were damaged near San Miguel Canyon Road and a child was injured by the broken glass.

If you see anything suspicious in the area, you are encouraged to call law enforcement.

This is a developing story.