A 22-year-old man pleaded guilty Thursday and was immediately sentenced to a year in jail for hurling rocks at passing vehicles on the Costa Mesa (55) Freeway in Tustin.
Ernesto Santana pleaded guilty to a count of assault with a deadly weapon and six counts of throwing a missile with the intent to do serious bodily harm, according to court records. Santana was sentenced to 364 days in jail and was placed on two years of formal probation.
A California Highway Patrol officer was dispatched at about 8:30 a.m. on July 29 regarding a pedestrian throwing rocks at passing northbound vehicles on the 55 Freeway just south of Edinger Avenue, according to Officer Anselmo Templado. Seven victims reported damage that included cracked windshields, broken side view mirrors and dents and scrapes, Templado said.
Santana was found behind a K-rail near the southwest corner of the freeway at Warner Avenue in a construction area, Templado added.