A Nipomo man who shot marbles at passing cars with a slingshot may get 15 years to life in prison. 54-year-old Charles Keneth Lafferty was charged in connection to more than 70 alleged attacks over nearly a year, along freeways in Monterey and San Benito counties. This occurred between February of 2019 and January of 2020. Lafferty caused a section of highways 101 & 156 near Prunedale to be known as “Projectile alley.”
Six people suffered cuts and scrapes from being hit with broken glass. One of the affected vehicles was a Carmel high school bus transporting 20 members of the Carmel football team. They were on their way to a game in San Jose.
Last week, Lafferty pleaded guilty to 28 counts of assault with a deadly weapon. And two additional counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer. That’s after he fired marbles at two CHP officers in a marked patrol vehicle after they responded to reports of flying projectiles in the area.
Lafferty will be sentenced on June 29th. He may receive a sentence of 15 years to life.
