Hi Dan,
Thanks for the report. I ride thru there almost every weekday about
the same time as your attack and will now be extra careful. Let us
know of any developments.

Don Hayashi

> Posted by: "Dan Mick" dmick@... danmick
> Thu Aug 16, 2007 6:09 pm (PST)
>
> At that bikepath bridge today, I was screwed with:
>
> Wed, Aug 15th; approx 1:30pm; riding southbound, alone on Ballona
> Creek bike
> path just south of Mar Vista Gardens, I was assaulted by a group of
> four young
> men, who were standing against opposite sides of the bridge
> crossing the
> Sepulveda Channel where it feeds into Ballona Creek. (This is just
> south of the
> south-eastern-most corner of Allin St, which circles through the
> Gardens).
>
> At least one looked Hispanic, wearing a "wife beater" and baggy
> shorts; I didn't
> notice any details about the others, except that they all appeared
> to be of
> similar age. As I approached, he looked up and smiled; I smiled and
> said "Hey,
> guys"; I didn't hear any response, but as I passed between them,
> this young man
> rushed me, reached up and grabbed me around my shoulders,
> apparently attempting
> to knock me off my bike. He didn't succeed, and sort of fell away;
> I looked
> back, and saw several of the other young men attempting to run
> after me, so I
> increased speed as quickly as possible and got away with no damage
> to me or my
> bike. Thinking back, that seems fairly lucky.
>
> I'll be heading to the LAPD Pacific Division and filing a report;
> I've also sent
> email to Rusty Redican, an officer now working in the Newton
> Division who used
> to work in the Pacific Division which patrols that area, asking if
> he knows of
> any specific contacts in Pacific to talk to.
>
> Not sure what this means, except "be extra vigilant on that path,
> and watch for groups of loitering youths".
>