'Pretty Malicious': Police Investigate Fishing Line Trap
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - A dangerous prank along a trail in Lakewood could have ended badly.
A video reportedly shows three young people tying fishing line across a well-used bike path called the Art Line. The person who recorded it also posted it to social media.
Stephanie Price is one of those who uses this route regularly.
"It's scary. It could really do some damage to a cyclist," Price told CBS4's Rick Sallinger.
Lakewood Police say someone on a bike road right into the trap.
"A slow speed kind of fall. The bicyclist got up picked up the line and road off," said Ofc. Ty Countryman.
A day later, CBS4 found the fishing line still there. The thought of running into such a hazard worries bicyclists like Price and those she was riding with on this day.
"It's not harmless, but when you are a young kid you don't think about that stuff," she said.
One of her companions, Mary Leverson, added, "It makes me sad to think that children feel like... was there intent to really hurt people?"
"I think it's pretty malicious really," Vern Leverson said.
This video was posted on the website Reddit with a comment by "gassman3000" suggesting police did not do enough.
Police insist they are taking this seriously.
"He (the responding agent) talked to the kids, kind of counseled them. And talking to the agent, got the impression that the kids were well aware of the gravity that took place," Countryman said.
The case has now been reopened, but until now no action has been taken against the juveniles.
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.