Mountain lion strikes

last updated 8 January 2015

Orange County, Calif.

A mountain lion killed one cyclist and wounded another in the foothills of California’s Santa Ana Mountains last week. The body of Mark Reynolds, 35, was found partially buried near his bike, which had a broken chain. The other victim, Anne Hjelle, rode by hours later with a friend. The animal pounced and clamped its jaws around her head. Hjelle, 30, screamed, “I’m going to die!” Her friend, Debbie Nicholls, threw her bike at the cat, but said it “didn’t even flinch.” Nicholls then grabbed Hjelle’s leg and pulled, as several other bikers threw rocks. The 110-pound mountain lion then let go. Deputies later tracked it and shot it dead.