Three juvenile suspects are being held by the police following an expressway fatality in Sichuan province after small rocks and stones were thrown at vehicles.

Four vehicles were hit on Wednesday, according to police from Renshou county of Chengdu, Sichuan province.

The dead man was sitting beside the driver in a red sedan. He was killed after a small rock or stone penetrated the windshield. He died in hospital on Thursday morning. Two passengers were slightly injured.

Three other vehicles had stones thrown at them, and one had its windshield smashed.

The province has seen similar incidents before.

A coach driver was hit in the left eye by a rock while driving from Chengdu to Cangxi on March 31.

Two cars were also damaged by stones and rocks on April 8 in the province.