Stand at the entrance to the Kinnickinnic River Trail and one will see dozens of bike riders and pedestrians making their way through the path. A sign at the trail's entrance reads 'no motor vehicles'— though neighbors say that doesn't stop motorcyclists from occupying the trail.
Gary Hartung lives steps away from the trail's entrance and heard a group of 6 motorcycle riders leaving the trail. Hartung recorded a video of them while telling them to stop traveling on the pedestrian path when he says he was hit multiple times by a rider and knocked out.
Now, Hartung has a broken nose, split lip, and badly bruised eye and face.
"I watched them as much as I could, trying to get plates or faces or anything, and then I walked among them and one guy just punched me, I was out, knocked out," Hartung recalled.
Police are now investigating the assault and looking for unknown suspects. An investigation Hartung says will be difficult since many of the motorcyclists didn't have license plates.
His wife Laura reached out to TMJ4 after his attack to help bring this safety issue to light.
"I want these people accountable," said Laura Hartung. "I want the community to stay together and to speak up, to be safe and protect each other."
As someone who uses the trail daily, she experiences the danger of motor vehicles on the path firsthand.
"It's just disappointing that we cannot be safe or we cannot do any activity on a space that is for cyclists and pedestrians," She told TMJ4.
Doctors say Gary's face will take a month to heal.
In the meantime, the Hartung's are hoping their story will bring these riders to justice and deter others from putting people in harms way in the future.
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