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http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/crime_courts/14608365.htm
Three arrested in motorcycle crash
By Sean Webby and Kimra McPherson
Mercury News
Bob Barnes said there was no problem between him and his neighbors until he was riding his KTM dirt bike in the Los Gatos hills and rode face-first into a rope strung across a dirt road. It knocked him off the bike and flung him about 30 feet.
Barnes, a part-time construction worker, spent six days in a coma and required about 500 stitches and several titanium plates in his face to repair the damage.
Santa Clara County sheriff's investigators say three of his neighbors had attached the rope to a tree, waited for Barnes to approach and then pulled the rope taut across the road they all lived on.
Donald Bryant, 62, Donna Olsen, 46, and Edward Anderson, 48, all were taken into custody Tuesday on felony charges of assault, sheriff's spokesman Deputy Serg Palanov said. They were arraigned Wednesday at Santa Clara County Superior Court in San Jose and were scheduled to enter pleas Friday afternoon.
Investigators don't know a motive. Neither does Barnes, who knows all three suspects.
``Who knows what they were thinking,'' said Barnes, recovering at home Wednesday. ``I guess they thought I was Evel Knievel and I'd jump right over and land right back on my bike.''
He chuckled roughly through his reconstructed jaw.
``I took a good hit,'' he said. ``I'm lucky I didn't break my neck.''
It happened May 6 on Loma Chiquita Road, a private road in the unincorporated hills above Los Gatos, where motorcycle riding has caused some conflict among residents, Palanov said.
Barnes said he was out with a group of fellow bikers on the mountain and on the homestretch for a hot dog barbecue and beers.
Authorities said Bryant, Olsen and Anderson saw them all ride out -- said a few choice words -- and got ready for their return.
``There's always some controversy with the mountain folk with people riding on their roads,'' said Santa Clara County Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Dean Baker, who made the arrests. ``They didn't like motorcycles going down their road, but what are they going to do?''
What the trio allegedly did was tie a rope to a tree on one side of the road. Then they allegedly crouched in the bushes on the other side, waiting for Barnes and his friends to return.
They came back about 8 p.m., Palanov said. Barnes figured he was traveling 20 to 25 mph as he rode toward the rope. When he got close, the trio allegedly pulled the rope taut across the road, Palanov said.
Barnes saw what he thought was a bar of some kind across the road. Barnes' jaw smashed into it. He was hurled about 30 feet.
Barnes said he hopped up the moment he hit the ground -- something he instinctively did through years of having wiped out during dirt bike races and riding.
The second rider to approach noticed his companion on the ground, Palanov said. He was able to slow to 5 mph before striking the rope -- which, he told deputies, he saw being pulled taut -- and sustained minor injuries.
Barnes said he even boarded his bike and tried to ride away. The other riders behind him screamed at the three suspects, brought Barnes to Good Samaritan Hospital and called police. There, Barnes -- his face mangled -- lapsed into a coma.
He and his wife said they were happy about the arrests. The whole thing has disturbed the tight-knit community on the mountain. The male suspects are local volunteer firefighters, Baker said. One of them would e-mail political jokes to Barnes' wife and even helped out with the ride to school for the kids every once in a while.
Barnes said he was looking forward to this all being behind him and riding again when he healed up.
``When you're thrown off the horse,'' he said, ``you gotta get back on.''
Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Baker at (408) 808-4500.
Contact Sean Webby at swebby@mercurynews.com.
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