A judge said two drunken men who bombarded passing cars with rocks could have killed someone.
Intoxicated Tyler Horseman and Bradley Wiltshire were heard "laughing and cheering" when they launched the missiles over a garden fence onto the A39 near Bristol, smashing the windscreens of vehicles. But they were both crying when a judge sent them into custody.
Horseman, 18, of West Tyning in Marksbury and Wiltshire, 26, of Tamworth Road, Keynsham, both pleaded guilty to causing a danger to road users. They also admitted assaulting an emergency worker following the incident in September last year.
Read more: Colston 4 Appeal delays Extinction Rebellion activist's criminal damage trial
Judge Julian Lambert jailed Wiltshire for 12 months and handed Horseman eight months youth custody. He told them: "Your conduct was persistent and deliberate and the risk was enormous. If drivers had not reacted with skill you might have killed them by your actions and then it would be manslaughter."
Kenneth Bell, prosecuting, told Bristol Crown Court the defendants were in Horseman's back garden, which backs out onto the A39 at Marksbury, when they stood on a platform from around 9pm and hurled rocks and children's toys into the road at passing traffic. Mr Bell said one truck driver described hearing an "almighty bang" and a care worker recounted how her windscreen smashed, showering her in shattered glass.
Mr Bell said: "A neighbour saw two man laughing and cheering. She was quite shocked and called the police."
Mr Bell said police community support officers attended and the situation calmed. But an hour later the barrage recommenced and police received more calls.
In all some seven vehicles were struck, with four windscreens hit. Two of those were shattered, the court heard.
When the men were arrested Horseman was verbally abusive to PC Robert Peters and spat out. Wiltshire was said to have elbowed the officer twice to the chest.
'I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, I'm just really sorry'
Eshanul Oarith, defending Wiltshire, said his client had a difficult start in life but was capable of leading a pro-social life. He said it was deemed unlikely his client would be back before the court again.
Wiltshire stepped into the witness box and told the judge: "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, I'm just really sorry. If I was there I would have hated it, I've got kids.
"I just wanted to say that to everyone, and if the victims were here I would say that to them as well. I know I could have killed somebody, I could have seriously hurt someone."
Caitlin Evans, defending Horseman, said: "He understands the gravity of what he's done and how stupid he was and just how bad his actions could have been."
Miss Evans said references described her young client as a hard-working, kind and pleasant man who could have a tendency to impress and take a joke too far.
Sign up for our new Bristol's Court Insider newsletter for the latest court and crime news - from arrests to trials and sentencings
