A child died Thursday after being hit by a rock that fell off the back of a truck and went through the windshield of a car on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska State Troopers said.
At 1:23 p.m. Thursday, troopers received a report that a person was severely injured after a rock went through a windshield at Mile 58.7 of the Sterling Highway.
Five people were traveling in a Volkswagen GTI hatchback, heading north on the highway, when a "volleyball-sized" rock fell from a "rock truck" that was traveling southbound, troopers said.
"The rock went through the windshield of the hatchback and struck the middle backseat passenger. After striking the passenger, the rock bounced out of the hatchback. Lifesaving measures were rendered but the passenger succumbed to his injuries on scene," troopers said.
Troopers identified the child as 8-year-old Noah Schwebach of Eagle River. Nobody else in the vehicle was injured, troopers said.
"The incident occurred in a construction zone that has many large vehicles moving in and out of the area," troopers said. "The vehicle the rock fell off of has not been positively identified."
Schwebach's body was sent to the State Medical Examiner Office in Anchorage.