By Jim Holt & Gilbert Bernal
Signal Staff Writers
A man was arrested Wednesday morning on suspicion of brandishing brass knuckles after he allegedly accosted people on a bike path as he jogged by them wielding the weapons menacingly.
Joggers on the Soledad Canyon Road trail near Rainbow Glen Drive reported being threatened by a man running along the path wielding a set of brass knuckles.
Deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station responded to the reports around 9 a.m. after two joggers on the trail made 911 calls about a man making threats.
“Deputies are currently investigating the incident and have no clear reason as to why the jogger was disturbing other community members,” Lt. James Royal said.
Deputies arrested the suspect near Rue Crevier as the man left Rainbow Glen Drive.
A witness who only wanted to be known as Anthony L. gave a report to deputies on the scene after the suspect was placed into the sheriff’s vehicle.
“I’m on the bike trail walking, this guy is ahead of me, he’s jogging,” said Anthony L. ”As I’m about to pass he turns on me and says, ‘What are you following me for?’ That’s when he pulled out his brass knuckles.”
After allegedly being threatened, the victim said he decided to back off and create some distance between him and the suspect.
Two pedestrians were also allegedly threatened in the same manner by the same jogger.
A second witness, who asked not to be identified, told deputies responding to the reports about being harrassed on the trail near the bus stop at Rainbow Glen Drive and Soledad Canyon Road.
“He tried to run me off the road as I passed,” said the witness. “At the bus stop a lady flagged me down. She told me that he had been threatening her and yelling at her asking her if she wanted to fight. She was freaked out.”
The second witness said a woman walking by her herself on the same bike path was also threatened, causing her to run onto the median on Soledad Canyon Road to avoid the confrontation.
“I told her I’d wait for her. She asked me if I would wait, and he turned around and started coming back. And that’s when he approached us and he brandished them. He was wearing them. He said, ’Do we have a problem?’ It was threatening.”
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On Twitter: @jamesarthurholt
