Officers divert mountain lion away from man sleeping in Arroyo Simi wash

A homeless man sleeping in the Arroyo Simi wash avoided a close call with a mountain lion thanks to two alert Simi Valley police officers.

The officers spotted a mountain lion at about 1 a.m. in the wash near Erringer Road, according to Simi Valley police. When they moved in for a closer look, they discovered the mountain lion was within several feet of a man in the area.

Police say the officers were able to scare off the mountain lion. They also woke up the man and got him to a safer location, according to police.

The mountain lion was last seen eastbound through the wash from Erringer Road. Anyone who spots the animal should not approach, but should instead the report the sighting to the Simi Valley Police Department at (805) 583-6950.