Editor’s Note: This account contains strong language and violence. Reader discretion is advised.
According to a first person account published on DrunkCyclist.com, a mountain biker was assaulted by a trail runner while out riding North Table Mountain in Golden, CO.
According to the report, the mountain biker in question was looking to pass a trail runner from behind, but the runner was wearing earbuds and did not move over even after the rider called out his intention to pass. Another rider came from the opposite direction, and told the runner that somebody was behind him and wanted to pass. The runner moved over, and as the first rider passed from behind, he shook his head at the runner, as the runner was completely oblivious to the people around him. In response, the runner said, “shake your head at me again, and I’ll beat your mother fucking ass!”
The rider encountered the runner again later on in his loop, coming the opposite direction, and as he pulled over to yield the trail to the oncoming runner, the runner said, “I remember you.” What follows is the first person account of the attack:
“…then suddenly and aggressively [he] moves towards me. Unprovoked, he grabs me by my throat and starts forcing me towards a boulder on the side of the trail. He manages to shove me on top of the boulder, all the while punching my head, jaw, helmet, and anything he can reach. Once he had his fill with his fists, he moves on to stomping my back and ribs. He decides that he’s had enough and heads over to my bike, picks it up and says “Shake your head at me again” before throwing my bike off the trail and down the steep mountainside. Pleased with himself, he heads off down the trail. Still in complete shock, I pick myself up and slowly start to walk after him in hopes of getting a picture. As he’s moving down the trail, he’s obviously keeping tabs on me, and rather than chance some more punches to the head, I walk away. The entire incident couldn’t have taken more than 30-45 seconds, but it has been playing in my mind ever since. Why hadn’t I tried to get a swing in at him? Why didn’t I charge at him when he picked my bike up? Could someone really be that pissed off about me shaking my head?”
The wheels on the rider’s bike were so badly damaged that he had to walk it out to the nearby road. He called the sheriff’s department and filed a report. At one point the police thought they had located the perpetrator, but he then disappeared into a nearby subdivision.
Local area mountain bikers and trail users in general should travel cautiously and be on the look out for an aggressive man meeting this description:
“…white male, somewhere in his 30s-40s, 6 feet tall, and somewhere between 180-190 pounds. On that day he was wearing black shorts, wrap around headphones, and a black or dark blue shirt with either ‘COM’ or “COR” on it.”
If you have any information about this incident, please call the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (303) 271-0211, or the Jefferson County Open Space at (303) 271-5925.
Update at 6:56pm MDT on 3/28/17:
Additional reporting on this incident from 9 News:
