Attempted Murder As Blocks Thrown On A12

Two people have been injured after blocks of concrete were dropped from bridges on to cars on the A12.

There were two separate incidents near Chelmsford last night (Thursday December 1st).

A 57-year-old woman passenger suffered multiple rib and facial fractures when a block smashed through the windscreen of a car passing under the West Hanningfield Road bridge shortly after 10pm. The driver of the car, her 56-year-old husband, suffered cuts.

In the other incident, under Fryerning Lane bridge at about 9.25pm, a block of concrete smashed the windscreen of a car, leaving the driver, a 26 year-old woman and her passenger, her 48-year-old mother unharmed but badly shaken.

Detectives are linking both incidents and treating both as attempted murder.

Click here to listen to Heart's interview with Chief Inspector Nick Morris.

East of England Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: "First and foremost this is a despicable act to carry out. This mindless act has left a woman fighting for her life. This could have quite easily caused a multiple pile up on the carriageway seriously injuring several others."
 
Gary added: " We believe the concrete was thrown from a bridge across the carriageway when it collided with the car entering the windscreen and hitting the woman. On arrival of the ambulance crews, the woman was found with serious chest and head injuries and following rapid treatment, stabilisation and immobilisation by the paramedics and doctor, she was taken to an awaiting trauma team at Broomfield Hospital."

Anyone who saw any vehicles or pedestrians acting suspiciously on the bridges at the times of the incidents should contact the serious crime team at Braintree police station on 101.