Interstate 75 rock-throwing death

Julie Catherine Laible, was a young professor at the University of Alabama killed by a large rock thrown at her car from an overpass while she was driving along Interstate 75 (I-75) in Manatee County, Florida, on March 28, 1999.

Incident

A rock was thrown or dropped onto a random passing car from an overpass along I-75 hitting the car Laible was driving.[1] Tara Sue Wells, a graduate student who was a passenger in the car, managed to steer it safely to the side of the road.[2] She would testify at the trials of the rock throwers.[3] The rock, which weighed 22 pounds (10.0 kg), smashed through the windshield hitting the professor in the head and inflicting a fatal injury.[4][5]

Several other cars were damaged by rocks thrown from that overpass during that weekend.[2]

Laible's death "shocked" Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama, where the trials were followed closely.[6][7] Labile was an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Alabama from 1995 until her death in 1999.[8] She is remembered for her anti-racism scholarship and activism.[9]

Perpetrators

Juan Cardenas, 19, of Wimauma, Florida, the "alleged ringleader" in the crime,[10] was convicted of second-degree murder for hurling the rock that killed Laible.[4] Cardenas was sentenced to serve life in prison.[11]

Jesus Dominguez, 19, of Ellenton, Florida, was charged with driving the truck in which Juan Cardenas and Noe Ramierez (a juvenile at the time) rode on the night of the murder.[12] During the 16 months following his arrest, Dominguez was permitted to move about freely wearing an ankle bracelet that recorded whether he was in his home or had left the house, but not his precise whereabouts.[13] In addition, the judge reduced his bail from $100,000.00 to $25,000.00, enabling his family to post bail.[13] On August 30, 2000 the night before he was scheduled to plead guilty to second-degree murder, Dominguez fled.[12][14] He was listed on the Sheriff of Manatee County's list of the five most-wanted fugitives.[12] He is believed to have been living in Matamoros, Mexico, but authorities received a tip that he would be visiting Brownsville, Texas, where he was arrested in August 2001.[12][14] Dominguez was extradited back to Manatee County.[12][15] After being returned to Florida to stand trial, Dominguez agreed to plea no contest to a charge of second degree murder, and to admit to driving the car on the night of the murder.[16] Dominguez was sentenced to serve 21 years in prison.[17]

Noe Ramierez, 16, of Palmetto, Florida was tried as a juvenile.[12] After spending 58 days in a juvenile detention facility, he was convicted of culpable negligence and sentenced to 180 days of house arrest.[16][12]

Memorial

An endowed lecture series, the Julie C. Laible Memorial Lecture Series on Anti-Racist Scholarship, Education and Social Activism, was created at the University of Alabama in Professor Laible's memory.[18][13][19]

References

  1. ↑ "Rock Tossed From Overpass Kills Professor". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "National News Briefs; Professor Killed by Rock Thrown From Overpass". The New York Times. March 30, 1999. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  3. ↑ Barrouquere, Brett (26 April 2000). "Passernger recalls when rock hit car". Lakeland Ledger. Sarasota Herald Tribune. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Teen Convicted of Killing Woman by Dropping Rock". Orlando Sentinel. April 28, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Teenagers accused of throwing brick from overpass". Tuscaloosa News. September 17, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Freeway Attacks". Weld. April 29, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Looking Abck: 10 years ago this week". Tiscaloosa News. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "Resolution Supporting the Julie Laible Memorial Lecture Series" (PDF). Faculty Senate, University of Alabama.
  9. ↑ Scheurich, James Joseph (2002). Anti-Racist Scholarship: An Advocacy. SUNY Press. p. 254.
  10. ↑ "Bradenton teen in prof's highway death gets more than 20 years". Florida Times Union. Associated Press. February 2, 2002. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Teen Gets Life For Murder With Hurled Piece Of Rock". Orlando Sentinel. May 27, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Last of suspects in rock-throwing death pleads guilty". The Florida Times-Union. Associated Press. November 28, 2001. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 "Fugitive in rock-throwing death of UA professor caught in Texas". Tuscaloosa News. August 22, 2001.
  14. 1 2 "Fugitive in Manatee rock death caught in Texas". The Florida Times Union. Associated Press. August 21, 2001. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  15. ↑ Sanders, Chris (August 24, 2001). "Florida man charged in professor's death". University News. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  16. 1 2 "Teen pleads in rock-throwing death". Tuscaloosa News. November 28, 2001.
  17. ↑ "Teen gets 21 years in case of driver killed by concrete". Chicago Tribune. 3 February 2002. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  18. ↑ "UA College of Education to Commemorate Julie Laible's Life in May 3 Ceremony". May 2, 2000.
  19. ↑ "Julie C. Laible Memorial Lecture Series". University of Alabama.
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