He’ll need metal to fix his face. Daughter objects to charges in Kentucky rock-throwing case.
A 64-year-old driver’s eye socket, jaw and cheekbones will need extensive facial reconstruction and repair, according to his daughter who was critical of the charges filed against two young teens accused of throwing the rock that struck the man’s car.
In a statement to WKRC, Meg Oleson said the boys had to know their actions could cause death, so the attack on her father Bill Wehner in Northern Kentucky was attempted murder, “NOT assault.” The teens were charged with assault or complicity to assault.
William Wehner was traveling on Ky. 237 in Burlington about 10:30 p.m. Saturday when a large rock struck his windshield and face, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office. He was able to pull his car off the road. He was sent to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the sheriff’s office said.
Oleson said in a Facebook post that her father will spend the next few months recovering and undergoing surgeries to reconstruct his facial bones. Medical bills could hit the six figures, she told WKRC.
Wehner’s brother, Randy Wehner, told WCPO the rock came through the windshield, bounced off the dashboard and struck William on the right side of his face.
“It was pretty gory,” Randy Wehner said. “The right side of his face, just below his eye — if where it hit, if it was just a few inches higher, it could have been a whole lot worse.”
The rock weighed around five pounds, according to Wehner’s son-in-law, Brenden Oleson. Wehner was babysitting his grandchildren before the incident, according to WLWT.
A day after the incident, police arrested 14- and 15-year-old Kentucky boys, who were students at the Boone County Alternative Center. In addition to first-degree assault, the 14-year-old was charged with second-degree criminal mischief. In addition to complicity to assault, the other juvenile was charged with second-degree criminal mischief. Both were taken to the Campbell Regional Juvenile Detention Center.
The teens were bored at a sleepover before the incident, Boone County Sheriff Maj. Tom Scheben told WCPO.
Well documented rock-throwing at moving vehicles has caused fatalities and resulted in manslaughter or more serious charges against teens and youths in several other states.
Police said it was the second reported rock-related incident in the area that night. Cincinnati.com reported a motorist saw two kids throwing rocks at his vehicle about two hours before Wehner’s vehicle being struck.
Meg Olseon told Local 12 there is “no place in society” for the behavior of the arrested juveniles.
“They did this to a man who would have given anyone the shirt off his back and is the kindest man I have ever met,” she said. “Our voices need to be heard and ... with the help of everyone else’s voice, justice can be served.”
She also said the parents of the boys should be held accountable, stating “they have failed us and they have failed their own children.”
It’s at least the second serious rock-throwing incident so far this year. Boyle County sheriff’s deputy Philip Dean was struck in the face when a thrown rock hit his windshield in late January, the sheriff’s office said. The deputy’s vehicle left the road, struck several trees and then rolled over several times, according to the sheriff.
Boyle County Sheriff Derek Robbins told CNN Dean had broken bones and cuts after the rock was thrown from a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction.
Two juveniles were charged with assault of a police officer, criminal mischief, and leaving the scene of an accident, according to media reports.
This story was originally published April 2, 2019 at 12:59 PM with the headline "He’ll need metal to fix his face. Daughter objects to charges in Kentucky rock-throwing case.."