Crime & Safety
County Hunts for Mountain Bikers Who Spooked, Injured Horse and Rider on Novato Trail
A woman was seriously injured after she was thrown from her horse when it was spooked by two young men on mountain bikes on a trail that prohibits biking, according to county officials.
Marin County Park rangers and Sheriff's deputies are on the hunt for a pair of mountain biker accused of scaring and injuring a horse and its rider so badly on a Novato trail last week that the horse went missing for more than 24 hours, county officials said Tuesday.
The incident occurred on June 20 in the Indian Tree Open Space Preserve on the northwest side of Novato, according to Marin County Parks Director Linda Dahl. A woman was seriously injured after she was thrown from her horse when it was spooked by two young men on mountain bikes "who were on a narrow trail that prohibits biking," Dahl said.
She said the bikers raced past the equestrian and her friend, who was also thrown from her horse but not injured. The bikers did not stop despite calls for help as the injured woman lay on the ground, Dahl added.
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The horse, a fully saddled Belgian named Coco, was lost among the canyons for more than 24 hours, causing some to fear she wouldn't survive. A ranger found the horse with gashes and a broken nose. The horse has since been treated by a veterinarian and reportedly is doing well.
Dahl said her agency "has been flooded by public comments" since the incident, a deluge that is reminiscent of 2009, when a series of incidents among trail users prompted the Marin County Board of Supervisors to direct the parks and open space staff to craft a plan to resolve trail conflicts.A July 23 meeting, scheduled for 10 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Chambers, will be a joint session between the five-member Marin County Parks and Open Space District Board of Directors (the County Supervisors) and the seven-member Marin County Parks and Open Space Commission. County officials will unveil a Road and Trail Management Plan/Environmental Impact Report at that time.
Dahl said the county is trying to identify the bikers, who were in violation of a posted ordinance. Bicyclists are prohibited from riding on Open Space District trails except on fire protection roads, designated bike pathways or public roads not signed against such use.
“We have some very good leads and we continue to investigate,” Dahl said. “The goal is holding the bicyclists accountable. We work very closely with the Sheriff’s Office and we are receiving assistance from them on this matter.”
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Anyone with information is urged to call Marin County Parks at 415-473-6387; anonymous tips are accepted. Enforcement has been ramped up as much as possible with rangers and Sheriff’s deputies.
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