By Jonathan Mummolo
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 28, 2008

Large objects such as lawn chairs, toys and a boulder have been placed on the Prince William Parkway since last fall for the purpose of making motorists swerve or, in at least one case last week, crash, police said yesterday.

Three students from Osbourn High School have been charged in some of the incidents, and police expect more arrests to come.

Police said there have been many incidents since mid-October in which tree limbs, lawn ornaments and tires were placed on the parkway between Lucasville and Nokesville roads. First Sgt. Kim Chinn said they were placed strategically in separate lanes up the road from one another.

"It was clearly intentional," Chinn said.

On Wednesday, police arrested Manassas 18-year-olds Dusty Harrelson, Michael Fuller and Eric Regis and charged them with varying counts of felony destruction of property, trespassing and littering on the highway. All are students at Osbourn High School, police said.

Police said many of the incidents occurred on days when school was not in session.

The crash occurred when two cars were driving on the parkway at 11 p.m. March 18, police said. A tree limb, tire and boulder were in the road. One car swerved around the objects, and the other hit the boulder, injuring the two women inside.

"This is serious," Erica Hernandez, spokeswoman for the Prince William police, said of the pattern. "People can die."

On March 21, a police officer spotted debris on the parkway and stopped to remove it. Officers detained suspects in the area for violating curfew and questioned them further. The three students were arrested and charged days later, and police said an investigation is continuing.

All were released on bond and are scheduled to appear in court May 30, police said.

Reached by phone, a woman who identified herself as Regis's mother declined to comment. Calls to the homes of the other youths were not immediately returned.

Staff writer Theresa Vargas and staff researcher Meg Smith contributed to this report.