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BOUNTIFUL — Uber driver Dennis Ferry knows the streets of Bountiful like the back of his hand. He said the streets are usually quiet, but Monday night that all changed as he was driving a passenger along 200 West and 400 West.
"I heard a loud thud hit like the side of my car," Ferry said. "(My passenger) screamed. I was like, 'It's OK. It's just probably some kids.'"
Ferry believes it was a water balloon filled with sticky liquid, perhaps soda. It left a coat of clear gunk on his car along with a dent.
"I think the water balloon had something in it, like, they put something hard in it as well," he said.
Ferry is not alone. Bountiful police said in the last week, they issued nearly 10 citations for similar incidents. The crimes have been a nightly occurrence, and they are hoping parents talk to their kids about the dangers of throwing objects at people and moving cars.
"Whether a paintball, an air soft or water balloons, it's just not appropriate and it makes people angry. It makes people afraid," Assistant Chief Dave Edwards said. "I think it is common for kids to get out and have fun in the summer and have water balloon fights, but there is a time and place for that."
Police worry that these crimes can escalate and turn into assaults if the culprits hit the wrong driver.
"We are trying to slow this down before we get into a scenario where it turns into road rage or someone is simply angry, and it turns from kids throwing water balloons to a fight or an assault," Edwards said.
Police said anyone who throws or shoots something at a person will face assault charges.
