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In Monroe, North Carolina a police drone tracked down suspects for arrest. And drone technology was once again proven as a tool for policing.

A press release from Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey said suspects throwing large rocks from an overpass onto cars on the toll highway below. 

Cathey said in the statement that five people driving on the highway have since come forward to describe what happened. 

According to Sheriff, there were several reports of at least two people throwing “large rocks off a bridge” onto the expressway, U.S. 74, below.

“Deputies arrived and located a semi-truck and trailer that had been struck by one of the rocks causing significant damage to the roof of the truck and the front side of the trailer,” the Sheriff reported.

"Throwing large rocks off of a bridge at commercial motor vehicles traveling on the Monroe Expressway could have seriously injured or killed one of the drivers who were just trying to work hard and provide for their families,” Cathey said in the release.

Police drone tracks teens 

Deputies were able to quickly launch a drone with infrared technology to search the area.

The drone sent deputies images. “located several distinct heat signatures hiding near the on-ramp to the expressway,” the news release said.

Directed by the drone, deputies responded to the Sherrill Baggett Road overpass. And discovered a white BMW parked on the side of the road near a bridge. 

Bobby Shane Stone, 17, of Godwin, came out from under the bridge and identified himself as the BMW driver. 

He told deputies two other people were under the bridge on the southbound side. When deputies looked under the bridge they found Javier Prieto Jr., 18 of Godwin, and Alex Alvarado, 18, of Dunn, deputies said.

They were each charged on February 2 with five felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and five counts of damage to personal property.

The trio later appeared in court and a bond was set for each teen at $350,000.