CLUES SOUGHT IN FREEWAY ATTACKS.

Byline: Elizabeth Aguilera Daily News Staff Writer

Freeway commuters citywide are facing a new menace on the road.

In the past three weeks, more than 120 rear windows have been blown out of cars traveling on freeways near downtown Los Angeles, and police have no idea who's doing it and few clues how.

But with 42 incidents Tuesday night on four freeways, and $35,000 in rewards now being posted for information, authorities are taking the threat seriously - before somebody gets hurt.

``This could very well prompt someone to tell,'' said California Highway Patrol Officer Rob Lund. ``Who's to say what the loyalty level is'' among vandals suspected in the attacks.

The spate of vandalism continued Wednesday night, when at least 19 windows were shattered on various freeways in south Los Angeles between 8:50 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., CHP officials said.

Investigators have no suspects but several theories to explain the attacks that began Sept. 11.

Because no shell casings have been found, Lund said the vandals could be firing BB guns or high-powered slingshots while driving behind the victims. Or the attackers could be shooting from roadsides or overpasses.

Most of the incidents - 92 percent - have taken place between 6 p.m. and midnight.

Freeways targeted the most include the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway, the Century (105) Freeway, the Santa Monica (10) Freeway and the Harbor (110) Freeway.

None of the attacks have occurred in the San Fernando Valley.

The overwhelming activity spurred the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to offer a $10,000 reward for information, followed Wednesday by an offer of $25,000 from the Los Angeles City Council.

``I think we need to move quickly on this,'' City Councilman Hal Bernson told the council.

The motion, authored by Bernson was unanimously adopted. Bernson said the incidents represent a threat to residents and added: ``these incidents of cowardly vandalism must be stopped.''

Lund said investigators are almost sure that firearms are not part of this equation. If the suspects are caught, they could be charged with felony crimes, he said.

For the rest of the country, news of the mysterious freeway attacks has proven just another car-crazy L.A. story. But for local commuters, the attacks recall a rash of freeway shootings in 1987 that killed five people and wounded 11.

Now they are on the lookout again.

``That's life in L.A.,'' Wayne Brown, 32, told an Associated Press reporter.