Woman Dies After Rock Thrown From Bridge Smashes Through Car Windscreen on R24
A routine Friday morning journey turned fatal when a woman was killed after a large rock was thrown from a bridge onto the R24 near Bedfordview, east of Johannesburg.
The woman was travelling along the eastbound carriageway when the rock was hurled from the Concord Road Bridge at about 7.38am. It smashed through her vehicle’s windscreen, leaving her with severe head injuries.
She lost control of the vehicle moments later and crashed into the roadside barriers near the Gillooly’s Interchange.
Emergency responders found her critically injured, but she was certified dead at the scene.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the dangers posed by objects being thrown from bridges onto busy freeways, where motorists have little or no time to react.
Rock Smashes Through Windscreen
According to authorities, the rock struck the woman’s vehicle with such force that it penetrated the windscreen.
The impact caused severe head injuries before she lost control of the car and collided with the road barriers.
The crash occurred shortly before the Gillooly’s Interchange, a busy section of the R24 used by commuters travelling through the east of Johannesburg.
The woman’s identity had not been released at the time of publication.
Police Open Inquest Docket
Ekurhuleni metro police confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened at the Bedfordview police station as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.
The focus of the investigation is expected to include identifying the person or people responsible for throwing the rock from the Concord Road Bridge.
Authorities have appealed to anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that could assist the investigation to come forward.
Authorities Appeal for Information
Investigators are urging motorists and members of the public who may have been in the area at the time to provide any information that could help establish what happened.
The incident occurred during the morning rush, when the R24 would have been carrying commuters and other motorists.
Any information that could help identify those responsible could prove crucial to the investigation.
For now, the tragedy has left one family mourning after what began as an ordinary journey ended in a fatal crash on one of Johannesburg’s major routes.
