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Police ID man charged with throwing railroad spikes off overpass

Police identified Blake Bowers, 18, of North Philadelphia, as the man who threw 8-inch railroad spikes from an overpass in University City that struck three vehicles Friday night.

Police identified Blake Bowers, 18, of North Philadelphia, as the man who threw 8-inch railroad spikes from an overpass in University City that struck three vehicles Friday night.

Police arrested Bowers Friday night and released his name Saturday evening. Bowers, of the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, was charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and related charges.

He is accused of throwing the spikes off an overpass about 40 feet above the 600 block of University Avenue in University City shortly before 8:30 p.m.

One spike smashed through the windshield of a Dodge Charger and lodged in the dashboard; the driver was treated for broken glass in his eyes.

Another spike went through the roof of an Oldsmobile Cutlass, and a third shattered the windshield of a Hyundai SUV, police said Friday.

On Friday, Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives said a suspect was arrested after an Infiniti SUV was hit by a rock. The driver of that vehicle ran up onto the tracks to confront him, and officers arrived and arrested Bowers, police said.

An additional eight spikes also were found on the street below, police said.

jlai@phillynews.com

856-779-3220 @elaijuh