Woman on bike path threatened with knife
By PETER BOLTZ
Express Staff Writer
A 47-year-old Ketchum woman was attacked by a man wielding
a knife while riding her bike on the bike path about 6:10 p.m. Monday. The
attack occurred in a wooded area just north of the intersection of
Buttercup Road and Highway 75.
The alleged assailant, Eric Liebl, 18, was arraigned in
magistrate court Tuesday on charges of aggravated assault and battery.
After advising Liebl of his rights, Judge Daniel Alban
asked prosecuting attorney Marilyn Paul if her office had determined if
there was a crime and if there was probable cause Liebl had committed it.
She described the charges against Liebl as
"frightening acts" and asked the court to set bond at $80,000.
Alban set it at $100,000.
Paul also told the judge that Liebl was awaiting a hearing
on charges of grand theft and malicious damage to property, and that Liebl
was homeless and living in Lions Park.
The affidavit describing the events of the crime were
still in magistrate court at press time, but some details were given by
Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Gene Ramsey.
He said the woman was riding her bike when Liebl allegedly
rode up alongside her on his bike, knocked her off, and threatened her
with a knife.
The woman was able to get away, and ran to the highway
where she flagged down a motorist. A 911 call on the assault was made
about this time, but Ramsey said he didn’t know who made it.
By chance, a Blaine County Sheriff’s deputy was
patrolling the area, so, in the words of Blaine County Sheriff Walt
Femling, an officer was on the scene within 20 seconds of the call.
Ramsey said officers from the sheriff’s department, the
Hailey Police Department and the Bellevue Marshal’s office searched the
area.
About 40 minutes later, an off-duty Hailey police officer
saw someone fitting the description of the assailant riding southbound on
his bike about 1½ miles north of Hailey on Highway 75, and took Liebl
into custody.
Ramsey said the woman was taken to St. Luke’s Wood River
Medical Center for treatment of injuries and released. He said he thought
her injuries were bruises and contusions.