Off-Road Rage: Elderly Washington Hiker Assaults Mountain Biker with Knife After Right-of-Way Trail Dispute
May 6 2023, Published 10:26 a.m. ET
An elderly hiker in Washington was sentenced for stabbing a mountain biker over an argument over who could pass who first on a trail.
In March 2021, Dake Traphagen, 70, was hiking with a group of people on a trail near Y Road in Bellingham, KGMI reported.
The group crossed paths with a mountain biker and Traphagen got into an argument with the biker over who had the right of way.
The argument turned physical and Traphagen claimed he stabbed the biker in self defense.
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However, a video of the incident shot by one of his companions prompted prosecutors to file charges against him, according to KGMI.
The mountain biker was taken to a nearby hospital because of the severity of his wounds.
On April 26, Traphagen pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and was sentenced to one month of home detention and is required to pay over $3,700 in restitution to the victim.
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