One of the three Colorado teenagers charged in a rock-throwing spree that resulted in the death of a 20-year-old woman after a stone smashed through her car windshield pleaded guilty on Friday.
Zachary Kwak, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree assault, one count of second-degree assault, and an additional count of criminal attempt to commit assault for his involvement in the tragic incident last year.
He has been sentenced to a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 32 years. His previous charges, including murder, were dropped as part of the plea deal.
Kwak, along with Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik and Joseph Koenig, engaged in a spree of throwing rocks and other objects at cars in suburban Denver in April 2023 when they were 18-year-old high school seniors.
On the night of April 19, Alexa Bartell was returning from work when a large landscaping rock thrown by the teenagers hit her through the windshield, resulting in her tragic death.
Bartell was on the phone with a friend when the incident occurred, and her lifeless body was later found in the wreckage of her car.
The teenagers returned to the scene later that night to take pictures of Bartell’s mangled vehicle.
The three teenagers were arrested and charged with murder and other offenses related to Bartell’s death and attacks on other vehicles that night.
Karol-Chik admitted to starting the rock-throwing spree in February, and Kwak was accused of throwing the fatal stone that hit Bartell’s windshield.
Koenig’s father was also arrested for allegedly obstructing the investigation by preventing police from interviewing his son.
Kwak’s sentencing is scheduled for September 3, following the trials of Karol-Chik and Koenig.
Karol-Chik is set for a jury trial on June 7, while Koenig’s trial is scheduled for July 19.
