Sharp metal barbs pops up on American River Parkway trail, causing concerns

By Tori Apodaca

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    SACRAMENTO (KOVR/KMAX) — Sharp metal barbs have been popping up on the American River Parkway in Sacramento, popping tires and creating a real hazard.

The American River Bike Patrol posted a warning about the metal barbs that have been located between Howe Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard.

“They found at least half a dozen of these within the trail,” said Vic Massenkoff, who is part of the volunteer group the American River Bike Patrol that posted the warning.

Massenkoff told CBS13 that the sharp metal barbs popped the tires of two cyclists and a county maintenance vehicle on the trail. He believes someone is placing them on the trail on purpose.

“It’s kind of scary if people do that,” said Nikolay Pavlidskiy, who was biking on the trail Sunday.

No one has gotten injured from the metal barbs, but Massenkoff is concerned about how dangerous that would be.

“The last thing you need is to have a flat tire causing you to lose control or distracting you and it could definitely lead to a serious accident,” Massenkoff said.

The parkway trail that stretches for over 30 miles is packed with pedestrians, not just cyclists.

“You have people with pets,” Massenkoff said. “You have people with young children, joggers, walkers.”

“We haven’t encountered that yet, but we hopefully will never,” said Samantha Castro, who was walking her dog on the trail Sunday. “I would be horrified if my dog stepped on that.”

The metal barbs look like they could be pieces cut off from barbed wire fencing.

“I haven’t seen any,” said cyclist Ryan Hill. “I haven’t heard anybody talk about it either so it’s new to me.”

The case is not new to the bike patrollers who are still investigating something similar from last fall on the trail.

“Last year in November, in the same part of the trail, we found carpet tacks had been thrown out on the trail,” Massenkoff said.

The mystery metal barbs that were tossed on the trail are causing a safety concern if there could be more.

“We have a lot of crazy people who just like to make some bad stuff for other people,” Pavlidskiy said.

The American River Bike Patrol volunteers are working with park rangers and the county to find out who is responsible.

If you see any, officials advise you to immediately report it to 311. You could also contact the Park Ranger Dispatch.

“Regional Parks is aware that a person(s) has been placing barbs on the American River Parkway Trail and urges all visitors to use caution while we investigate and bring this person to justice,” a spokesperson for Sacramento County said.

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