Arizona Trail Blocker Says He Was Protecting Owls
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An octogenarian who blocked a trail near Flagstaff right before a mountain bike race says he did it for the sake of owls. J.D. Protiva appeared in federal court this week.
The 81-year-old is facing misdemeanor charges related to blocking the Elden Springs Trail before an August downhill bike race.
The Arizona Daily Sun reported Protiva said the path goes through protected Mexican spotted owl habitat. He’s also charged with cutting trees and causing them to obstruct the trail.
Protiva talked about protecting owls back in 2007, when he pleaded guilty to stringing metal cables and moving debris across motorcycle trails in the San Francisco Peaks. In that case, he was given community service.
Now, several members of the mountain biking community are calling for Protiva to be banned from national forests entirely.
