A man with a machete was caught throwing objects from a highway overpass onto Interstate 5 in Thurston County on Sunday.
No one was hurt, and the man was stopped, but not arrested.
The incident took place early Sunday evening on the US-12 overpass in Rochester.
Troopers confirmed the man was in possession of a machete but was not using it during the encounter.
No injuries or property damage were reported. WSP could not specify what the objects were, but said there was no debris.
A trooper was able to contact the man on the overpass and convince him to stop throwing the objects.
Residents living near the US-12 overpass said they are not surprised by the presence of pedestrians in the area. Kaylee, a local resident, noted that she often sees people experiencing homelessness near the highway.
The incident in Rochester is part of a recurring pattern of objects being thrown from overpasses across Washington. In January 2025, the state patrol reported a string of cases involving rocks, cinderblocks, and suitcases.
Trooper Kameron Watts of the Washington State Patrol noted the unpredictable nature of these events.
“This is something we’re seeing randomly... often, but random throughout our district and neighboring districts,” Watts said. “It is difficult to get ahead of these situations.”
KIRO 7 asked WSP why the man was not arrested.
Watts explained that such situations often involve law enforcement discretion and are also impacted by available resources to prevent the issue from happening again.
He added that typically, these situations involve people who are homeless and might be mentally ill or on drugs.
“Our resources are limited,” Watts said. “It gets to a certain point where if what they’re doing doesn’t meet certain criteria for booking or for admittance into a hospital against their own will, then we essentially just have to create a relationship with these people, and give some middle ground and some understanding.”
While Sunday’s incident resulted in no injuries, other cases have had life-altering consequences for motorists and their passengers.
In November, a passenger was left partially blind after a person threw a piece of concrete from an overpass on I-705 South.
In 2025, the Washington State Patrol recorded thousands of reports involving issues with pedestrians along highways in Pierce and Thurston counties alone. While the majority of these reports do not involve objects being thrown, troopers say the high volume of pedestrian issues creates a persistent challenge for highway safety.
Trooper Watts advised that motorists should remain alert to their surroundings to avoid potential hazards.
“The best thing drivers can do is stay vigilant, the best they can,” Watts said. “Don’t be distracted while driving. Go the speed limit, so it does increase your chance to slow down or stop in time.”
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