At one point, Nicholas “Mitch” Karol-Chik considered Joe Koenig his best friend – and told a jury Friday that was part of the reason he repeatedly lied to investigators about the rock-throwing death of Alexa Bartell. Koenig is on trial on first-degree murder and other charges, accused of hurling a rock from the pickup he was driving at Bartell’s oncoming car on April 19, 2023, along Indiana Street. That rock – appearing larger than a softball – tore through Bartell’s windshield, hitting her in the head and killing her instantly. For months, Karol-Chik maintained it was the third person in that truck, Zackary Kwak, who hurled the rock at Bartell’s oncoming car. Friday, Karol-Chik spent nearly four hours on the witness stand and insisted – repeatedly – that the actual truth was that Koenig threw the rock. Read the full story: https://www.9news.com/article/news/crime/koenig-rock-throwing-trial-april-18/73-4ba414a7-04ed-4fc8-9025-2e47b65ed69f More local videos here: https://youtube.com/@9news Subscribe to NEXT: https://youtube.com/@Nexton9NEWS Stay connected: 9NEWS Website: https://www.9news.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilike9news X: https://twitter.com/9NEWS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/9newsdenver/ Download the 9NEWS App: https://www.9news.com/appredirect/ Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTER: https://www.9news.com/email 9NEWS (KUSA) is located in Denver, Colorado.