TACOMA, Wash. — Brandi Decoteau and her boyfriend Jamaal were nearly killed on a date night when a sandbag was thrown from an overpass, smashing their windshield while driving on I-five Southbound in Tacoma.
The incident, which occurred recently, left the couple fearful and physically shaken.
Decoteau described the moment vividly, recalling, “We were just laughing, driving, having a good time. Torrent won. And then all of a sudden, for a split second, I see something and I squeezed my eyes shut and put my head down and then I heard the impact.”
The damage to their 2026 Kia K-5 was significant, with the windshield shattered by the sandbag’s impact.
Following the incident, Decoteau described feeling glass in her clothing and experiencing discomfort.
“I had gotten out to shake the glass off and it hurt because I could feel it. I was like ‘ow’ from the glass in my pants and stuff.”
Although they are physically okay, she noted that both have been dealing with persistent coughs and sore throats since the event, suggesting lingering effects beyond the initial shock.
Decoteau reflected on the fortunate outcome, saying, “A lot of people have been saying that you guys are so lucky and I know we were, but now as I see it now, it’s weird because we could’ve died.”
This sentiment highlights the couple’s awareness of the dangers on roadways amid rising incidents of objects being thrown from overpasses.
Washington State Patrol has reported more than 2,600 pedestrian-related calls in Pierce County this year, though specifics on how many of those involved objects being thrown were not provided.
Decoteau commented, “I’ve seen stories of this happening before, you know. But I was kind of just like you don’t expect it to happen to you,” revealing her initial disbelief before the incident occurred.
Another incident in November on I-705 involved a concrete piece thrown at a vehicle, resulting in severe injuries.
The victim’s brother-in-law, Mark Zenobio, stated, “He’s already been subjected to 10 hours of surgery and there is going to be more to come.”
Decoteau and Jamaal hope that more awareness and preventive measures will be taken to increase safety on the highways.
“Now it’s like I have to really watch above me. Like you wouldn’t think of something like that.” They express gratitude for their support system and emphasize the importance of healing as they recover from this traumatic experience.
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