Two more rock-throwing incidents on Adelaide’s Southern Expressway takes the total to 37 in 2018

AN “UNPRECEDENTED” spate of rock-throwing attacks on the Southern Expressway is “completely out of control”, the State Opposition says, as police investigate two new reports, bringing the total number of incidents so far this year to 37.

NEAR MISS: A rock was thrown at this car travelling along the Southern Expressway on Thursday morning. Photo: SA Police

AN “UNPRECEDENTED” spate of rock-throwing attacks on the Southern Expressway is “completely out of control”, the State Opposition says, as police investigate two new reports, bringing the total number of incidents so far this year to 37.

It comes as one of the first victims speaks out about his own experience, saying he no longer uses the thoroughfare because of how dangerous the expressway has become.

SA Police say they have received information about two more “possible” rock-throwing incidents on the Expressway — one on Thursday afternoon and another early on Friday morning.

In the first incident, a driver was nearing the Poznan Crescent Footbridge at Hackham West when he saw an object skim across his car bonnet. His car was not damaged.

About 12.30am Friday morning, a man was driving under the Honey pot Road Bridge at Noarlunga Downs when he heard something strike and chip his windscreen.

No one was injured in either incident.

The reports follow an attack on Thursday morning and two more on Wednesday.

McLaren Vale resident John O’Sullivan was one of the first rock-throwing victims and spoke to The Advertiser about his experience.

He was driving his new Mustang convertible, bought only six weeks earlier, south in the middle lane on the expressway about 4.30pm on January 16.

The 49-year-old was about 500m away from the Reynella exit, travelling at 100km/h, when his vehicle was struck.

“All of a sudden I heard this unmerciful bang and I thought ‘what the hell was that?’,” he said.

“I actually thought it was like a big bird it was that loud a bang.”

“I have a stronger windscreen because it’s a convertible and it shattered that.

“I got home and it had two dents on the far left hand side of the bonnet and my windscreen was smashed.”

The damage bill amounted to $4000.

“If there were any other cars around me it would have caused an accident,” he said.

Mr O’Sullivan reported the incident to police in May after several other reports of rock-throwing on the expressway were made.

He said he believed the culprits threw a rock at his car from a path alongside the expressway.

“I’ve actually stopped travelling the expressway — I’m done with it,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“I don’t think anything other than a harsher penalty will make a difference.

“A cage on a bridge is not going to stop a person pickling up a rock on the side of the road and throwing it.”

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said the spate of rock-throwing incidents on the expressway was “unprecedented” and “completely out of control”.

He renewed his call for the State Government to adopt Labor’s “Six-point immediate action plan” to tackle the issue.

The plan included declaring the thoroughfare a protective security area so security guards could be deployed to the area 24 hours a day, seven days a week and installing temporary cyclone fencing on overpasses and bridges ahead of permanent fencing being installed towards the end of the year.

“Inaction is not good enough,” he said.

The spate of attacks has also prompted locals to join a Facebook action group to help keep the community informed and share prevention ideas.

The group has quickly attracted over 1400 members.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the government had recently put in place preventative measures, including 13 CCTV cameras along the expressway, to stop rock-throwing incidents.

He said permanent screens would be installed on bridges later this year.

*Please note, this map lists the best available information, as provided by SA Police. Locations have been plotted as accurately as possible based on that information.