Volunteer MTB trail builder in Colorado attacked, crushed by cow

When we head out into the mountains to ride, we know that injury is always a risk. But digging trail? Less so.

Unfortunately, a freak accident left Delta Area Mountain Bikers (DAMB) board member Dan Wegelin in the ICU with multiple fractures and internal damage following a day of trail work.

On Thursday, February 26, 2026, Wegelin was working on trails in Delta’s Confluence Park when a cow escaped from a nearby sale yard. According to reports, Wegelin saw the cow “about the same time that he saw a friend with young children nearby. Wegelin called out to warn the man to get the children away; the cow reportedly turned her attention to him.”

“It looked angry, it was drooling — it just started running for me as fast as it could,” Wegelin said in an interview.

The cow charged, knocking him down a 10-foot embankment. “The cow also fell down the hill, landing on Dan,” wrote Wegelin’s sister, Paula Feeback, on GoFundMe. “It further injured him when it tried to stand up but was unable to. It laid on him for a little while and finally rolled off of him. Dan was finally able to crawl away from the cow and collapsed by his truck.”

Dan was transported to the local hospital by ambulance, but was later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction due to the extent of his injuries. “He has a collapsed lung, a pneumothorax, 4 vertebral fractures, crushed ribs, bilateral shoulder injuries, broken fingers, additional knee injuries, a broken clavicle, and numerous cuts and abrasions,” wrote Feeback.

Despite the freak injury, Wegelin remains in good spirits. “The circumstances were just strange, but I’m not upset about it or bitter about it,” Wegelin told Western Slope Now. “I just want to get back to my family. My family’s cared for me since I’ve been in here, and I’ve been just wrapped in a blanket of care.”

This avid volunteer was just trying to build trails, help improve his community, and protect nearby kids when this freak accident happened. I can’t think of a more deserving man to support. A GoFundMe has been launched to help Wegelin and his family through this difficult time, and it has raised $17,431 as of press time. Click here to help them meet their $50,000 fundraising goal.