Social worker killed on job described by coworker as “passionate, wonderful person”


KPIX

By Amanda Hari

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — The San Francisco General Hospital community came together Sunday night to hold a vigil for a coworker killed on the job.

Alberto Rangel, 51, died Saturday after he was allegedly stabbed by a patient on Thursday afternoon.

“Alberto was there to help and he was failed,” said his coworker Maddy Abule.

Abule worked with Rangel for over two years. He was a social worker and she helped patients with insurance eligibility, but outside of the long-term HIV clinic, they were also friends.

“He was just such a passionate, wonderful person and had so much life to live,” Abule stated.

She went on to explain that he loved fashion, art, and had a great sense of humor. He also loved his job. She says he went above and beyond, even running a support group for those living with HIV and AIDS.

“There are people who are alive today because of him,” Abule said. “For him to lose his life at work when he was there to provide services to patients, it’s not right. It’s not right. It’s a disservice and betrayal.”

Auble was just feet away when Rangel was allegedly stabbed Thursday afternoon. She heard screaming from outside her office.

“I opened my door and Alberto was on the floor,” Abule recalled.

The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office arrested 34-year-old Wilfredo Tortolero-Arriechi for the stabbing. The San Francisco Police Department’s homicide detail will now investigate Rangel’s death

Tortolero-Arriechi was still there when Auble walked out. She recognized him as a patient they had seen many times.

“I saw Wilfredo,” Abule said. “I looked him in the eye. He saw me, too. He probably recognized me. I recognized him. And he just stood there and looked at everything and looked at what he had on and then put his shirt over his head. Perhaps to hide his identity, and then voluntarily put his hands behind his back.”

She says during this time, her coworkers were trying to help keep Rangel alive, telling him they loved him and to stay with them. Despite their efforts, on Saturday, he passed away from his injuries.

UPTE union representative Chey Dean stated they are going to make sure the hospital re-evaluates their safety measures.

“What I know is social workers have been raising the alarm about safety issues for years, to have been met with pretty much radio silence,” said Dean. “What I know is our colleague, and our friend, and our loved one deserves more than our grief, they deserve change and I know that we will not stop until we get that.”

The Department of Public Health said in a statement that they will be making improvements.

“Keeping our staff, patients, and community safe is our highest priority,” said the San Francisco Department of Public Health. “DPH and the hospital have already taken steps like adding more security, limiting access points, and speeding up the installation of weapons detection systems. We are also conducting a full investigation and are committed to making both immediate and long-term safety improvements at all our facilities.”

Auble still worries it won’t be enough, saying they raised concerns about the suspect beforehand, including filing reports, and nothing happened.

“We are furious as a community,” Auble explained. “This is unforgivable. And a lot of us don’t want to come back. A lot of us can’t come back.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

“The 100 Club” helps families of fallen police officers with emotional, financial support


WBZ

By Paula Ebben

Click here for updates on this story

    BOSTON (WBZ) — Saturday marked two years since Waltham Police Officer Paul Tracey and National Grid employee Roderick Jackson were killed after they were hit by a car while on a work detail. The suspect, 55-year-old Peter Simon, was allegedly speeding away from another crash at the time.

“I remember driving to the hospital in the back of the police cruiser and saying ‘Oh my God, I’m a police widow’ and this is the stuff that we get trained on, that we learn about, but never did I ever think that this was going to happen,” Paul’s wife, Kristin Tracey, said. Kristin is also a Waltham Police Officer.

Tracey and her two children were devastated in the days following Paul’s death. After an officer dies in the line of duty, their paychecks stop the very next day. That’s when The 100 Club stepped in, the only nonprofit in Massachusetts that supports the families of fallen first responders.

“The 100 Club has been amazing, immediately coming through for us and then just providing emotional as well as the financial support,” Kristin said.

The 100 Club was founded in Detroit in the 1950s when 100 men asked 100 friends to donate to help fallen officers. The second chapter of the club was opened in Boston in 1959.

“We just want these families to know that their sacrifice is important and we owe them … and they won’t be forgotten, and their loved one won’t be forgotten,” said Tracie Hines, the Executive Director of the club.

The club helps families maintain a sense of normalcy and joy in honor of their loved one, taking them to sporting events, sending them packages for life and hosting parties to meet other families of fallen first responders.

“I don’t want to wallow in the sorrows. I want to live life because then I, I do, I feel like I’m, I’m making him proud and making him happy,” Kristen said.

Kristin makes sure to keep her husband’s memory alive for her family through the club and with their relationship with Jackson’s family.

“We see each other at court for all the trials because we still have a trial coming up,” Kristin said.

The trial for Simon is set to begin in 2026.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Dog found in Michigan reunited with family 5 years after going missing


KOVR

By Ashley Sharp

Click here for updates on this story

    ANTELOPE, California (KOVR) — A Sacramento County dog picked up thousands of miles from home after he went missing five years ago was reunited with his family on Wednesday.

“He disappeared from the neighborhood and the owner kept searching for him, but could not find him,” said Cindy with Helping Paws and Claws.

Choco’s family had no idea where he was because he went missing from his home in Antelope in 2021.

He turned up near Detroit, Michigan, tied to a fence. No one knows how he got there, more than 2,000 miles from home.

“He was sheltered at the Lincoln Park Animal Shelter,” Cindy said. “They were kind enough to get him to the vet and get him all of his vaccinations.”

His rescue is all thanks to a microchip and the dedicated California group, Helping Paws and Claws.

“As a retired animal control officer, we have tried to impress upon people how important microchipping your pets are and registering that animal that microchip, and this is proof positive that microchipping works and this is why he’s coming home today,” Cindy said.

It also took a little help from strangers, like Pam, who donated her SkyMiles for the flight.

“I actually contacted Penny before I contacted my husband to see if it was okay to give our miles to fly Penny and the dog,” Pam said.

So Choco hopped aboard a flight and after a short drive home, his new life feels all too familiar.

Choco’s owners in Antelope had nearly given up hope they’d ever see him again.

“The reason why he would get out a lot is because he would get out a lot with his previous family,” Choco’s owner, Patricia, said. “As soon as he arrived, I found out he is an escape artist and after five years of having him, he finally got out and disappeared.”

“Shocked,” Patricia said. “I called the number, ‘You’re talking about Lincoln, California, right? No, Lincoln, Michigan.'”

The question is how in the world Choco became a nomadic traveler.

“Microchip your dogs,” Patricia said. “With the holidays and the extreme cold, a story like mine can be your story next.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Cow sanctuary robbed of $20k in equipment, sheriff’s office says: “My heart just dropped”


KCNC

By Olivia Young

Click here for updates on this story

    THORTON, Colorado (KCNC) — A Colorado cow sanctuary needs help, now more than ever.

On Oct. 29, more than $20,000 of equipment was stolen from Pay & Friends Inc. in Thornton.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says it has no leads on who could have done it, leaving the nonprofit to pick up the pieces.

“Babies! Are you ready?” Gwen Buehler calls to her seven cows, who she calls “the babies.”

Every day, Buehler feeds the cows four bales of hay.

“Throw it down, let me cut it, and then we can flake it and toss it in,” said Buehler.

Lately, the work has been harder since Buehler arrived to find an outbuilding door that had been locked, open.

“My heart just dropped, my stomach dropped, and I thought somebody’s been in there. So I opened it up, and sure enough, a lot of our farm tools were stolen that night,” said Buehler.

Thieves took more than $20,000 worth of equipment, including nearly all of the nonprofit’s farm tools and their ATV.

“That’s a huge tool for us to be able to move that grass around,” said Buehler. “We have a lot to do during snow, during summer. Each season has its challenges.”

The loss has made it tough to take care of the cows.

“It takes a lot more manpower, woman power,” Buehler said.

“Just trying to save up, because it’s feed season, they eat more,” she continued. “It’s about $1,600 to $1,800 a month just to keep them fed.”

Palani is the cow who started it all. After becoming vegan in 2017, Buehler rescued him from a dairy farm, where male calves are often killed shortly after birth.

“It was important to me to be able to rescue a bull calf, to save his life,” Buehler said. “Not have him end up in the discard pile.”

Buehler says female cows meet the same fate in the industry once they stop producing milk.

“The mama cows are always pregnant or nursing or lactating, and each time they have a baby, it’s taken from their mom so that they can produce milk for humans,” Buehler said.

From there, she rescued six more cows, and the nonprofit Pay & Friends Inc. was born.

“We really just took all of them from an end-of-life, which would have been the slaughterhouse,” she said.

Now the cows’ lives consist of daily feedings and educational visits from groups like the Denver Rescue Mission youth program.

“They got to take fresh fruits and vegetables home, they were so excited. And then they got to feed cows, and a lot of the kids had never seen a cow before, so that was kind of cool to see,” said Asha Leos, youth and family coordinator at the Denver Rescue Mission. “Then we got to come here and volunteer as well and help Gwen with moving hay bales, breaking down boxes, and the kids kind of turned it into a playground.”

“Homelessness is something a child should never have to experience,” Leos continued. “So getting to just be outside, be in fresh air, and be surrounded by an environment that’s full of love and joy, that’s the best experience you can give a kid.”

Buehler hopes visitors will see the animals in a new light and think about where their food comes from.

“Whether it’s an animal, a human, they’re all alive. They all have souls. They all have feelings. They all have personalities,” she said.

Even the theft won’t stop her from her mission.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office told CBS Colorado the burglary was reported to them, and that “due to the lack of investigative leads at this time, the case status is inactive. If anyone has information related to this burglary, they can contact our dispatch at 303-288-1535 or contact the Sheriff’s Office directly at 720-322-1313.”

Pay & Friends Inc. participates in Colorado Gives Day. The nonprofit is in need of cash donations, volunteers, produce, and basic tools and supplies. To learn more, visit their website.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Inside Minnesota’s LARK Toys, a one-of-a-kind marvel


WCCO

By John Lauritsen

Click here for updates on this story

    KELLOGG, Minnesota (WCCO) — The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you’ll find a toy store unlike any other: LARK Toys.

“They are getting into everything, but that’s good because it’s a toy store!” said Katelyn Key, a LARK customer shopping with her kids.

And no better place to get into things than a store of such massive size.

“We fill about 20,000-square-feet plus with the best toys that we can find,” said Miranda Gray-Burlingame.

She and her family are the proud owners of LARK Toys. The original owners, the Kreofskys, opened the store in 1983 and named it “Lost Arts Revival by Kreofsky,” or LARK for short.

“‘Lark’ also means a carefree, whimsical adventure,” said Gray-Burlingame.

And that’s what they aim for. Part of this is a museum, and a trip down “Memory Lane” reveals toys that are nearly a century old. There’s even a Gen X Star Wars corner.

“An 8-year-old John Lauritsen would have loved this section right here. These are vintage toys from the ’80s,” Lauritsen said.

“The Rancor is probably the most celebrated, but all of them have been played with for many, many, many hours,” said Gray-Burlingame.

From the toy store to the bookstore, which has a vast selection — but it’s not quite as it seems. One of the book shelves is actually a secret door that leads into a gathering space designed for celebrations.

“It’s for music, for meetings, for dancing,” she said.

What makes LARK truly stand out is its hand-made selection, and that’s where Tim Monson comes into play. He’s been doing this for a long time.

“It’s coming up on 40 years. I do all the maintenance, the woodworking, build all the displays,” said Monson, LARK shop manager.

He creates letter blocks, pull toys and puzzles. Monson is a one-man Santa workshop, and there’s pride in knowing customers buy thousands of his hand-crafted toys each year.

“And that’s a uniqueness you can’t find anymore, so pretty proud of that,” said Monson.

There’s the sound of his bandsaw, and then there’s the sound of a carousel. Every half hour, fish, ostriches and giraffes with monkeys spin around the store.

Just like the hand-carved toys you find at LARK, it also houses a carousel featuring animals hand-carved from basswood. But this ride proves you’re never too old to be a kid.

“For little kids and all the way up to folks who are over 100, we have a wall of photos back there of people who are over 90. When they come, they get a free ride and a certificate that says they’re ‘forever young,'” said Gray-Burlingame.

It’s a different kind of toy story, a place that’s hoping to build happiness one playset at a time.

“We know that everybody loves their kids and wants a better world for them, and watching them enjoy their kids, it’s just great,” said owner Kathy Gray.

“We are really, really lucky to be in the business of playing,” said Gray-Burlingame. “We hope that LARK has a very long, long, fun future.”

LARK also has mini golf when the weather cooperates. They are open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, but are only open on the weekends during January and February.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Reward increases in mysterious case of beheaded bison


KTVT

By Marvin Hurst

Click here for updates on this story

    LINDSAY, Texas (KTVT) — Shawn Neu and his wife, Christy, are now offering a $4,250 reward, hoping to secure an arrest in the killing of one of their bison.

The reward is sponsored by SR Bison Ranch, Texas Bison Association, Gail Ahnert — a National Bison Association Member and Liberty Highlands Cattle Company.

“We’re going to find out who did it. And, you know, justice needs to be served on this,” Neu said. “Taking a member of our family, one of my wife’s babies.”

Neu said he could see beer cans near the County 301 Road portion of his property in Cooke County on the Monday before Thanksgiving. The previous night, the couple heard their dogs barking, but had no idea what it was connected to until they went to clean the fence line.

When the couple made their cleaning rounds, they made a gruesome discovery.

“We saw Louisiana lying there and no head at all,” he said. “My wife, you know, was hysterical at that point.”

Louisiana is the bison cow he bought in Jonesboro, Louisiana, seven months prior. Her carcass, he said, was decomposing after a one-shot kill, and she was headless. They called the Cooked County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Ray Sappington said the animal cruelty/livestock crime occurred between November 23 and November 26. But tracking a suspect has been formidable.

“What kind of makes this challenging was that it rained Sunday night going into Monday morning,” Sappington said. “So, any evidence that might have been there had been washed away. So, we didn’t see blood. We didn’t see drag marks. We didn’t see hair from going over the fence or through the fence.”

According to Sappington, there is no surveillance video. His deputies have been running down leads, but nothing has evolved into a suspect or arrest. The sheriff said this is the first time his office has investigated a crime like this since he was elected 5 years ago.

It’s a scene where he believes there was more than one person involved because of the weight of the bison’s head.

“That would be a pretty big challenge, to kill the animal and then get a head of that size and that weight across the pasture, through a fence, and into your vehicle by yourself,” Sappington said.

Neu said they have enhanced security on his property because this was a personal matter.

“I do take this personally. I take it personally that somebody would want to come out and, you know, violate one of our animals like this, trespass on our property, and just. It’s just really disrespectful,” Neu said.

Sappington said anyone with information about the case can call 940-665-3471, or send an anonymous tip to tips@co.cooke.tx.us.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Holiday celebration brings comfort to families at Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House


KYW

By Eva Andersen

Click here for updates on this story

    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Families caring for seriously ill children received a moment of comfort and holiday joy Wednesday as CVS Health partnered with the Ronald McDonald House in University City to host a festive celebration designed to give them a break from medical routines.

Ten-year-old Gabe Peterson, who has lived with complex congenital heart defects since birth, was among the children enjoying the event. His family has stayed at the Ronald McDonald House since he was eight days old while he undergoes ongoing treatment and surgeries.

“They make me feel safe,” Peterson said.

Partners with CVS Health helped transform the house with holiday décor, crafts, dinner and giveaways, including blankets, teddy bears and gift cards. Organizers said the goal was to bring families a few hours of normalcy during a season many spend inside hospitals and care centers.

“We’re hoping that with the blankets, with the bears … that the families feel joy and warmth in an otherwise challenging time,” said Jenny McColloch, vice president of community impact and chief sustainability officer for CVS Health.

Philadelphia-based interior designer Meghan Gallagher, hired by CVS Health for the celebration, decorated the Ronald McDonald House with bright ornaments, trees and colorful holiday accents. She said she wanted families to feel “a little bit of joy, a little bit of comfort” the moment they walked in.

Gabe’s mother, Jessica Allen, said each detail made a difference.

“It makes it so nice for all of the families to be able to have the spirit of the holidays, and just all of the love and kindness that you see come out around the Ronald McDonald House,” she said.

The Ronald McDonald House will continue its holiday events next week with a 14-foot Christmas tree lighting on Tuesday.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

NYU student randomly attacked by repeat offender, police say


WCBS

By Christina Fan, Dick Brennan, Doug Williams

Click here for updates on this story

    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A New York University student was attacked while walking to class in Manhattan earlier this week, and police say the man in custody is a repeat offender with a history of assaulting women.

In an emotional video posted on social media, 20-year-old Amelia Lewis recounted the assault and demanded something be done to prevent the suspect from targeting others.

Surveillance video shows Lewis walking to class on Monday morning in Greenwich Village, when a man runs up behind her near Broadway and Waverly and appears to slap her on the backside and then shove her to the ground, knocking off her headphones.

Bystanders are seen frozen in shock before running to her aid.

“Just be aware when you’re walking anywhere right now in New York. I never thought this was going to happen to me, because I’ve seen the stories and I was like, oh that’s so scary. But having it actually happen now, it’s like oh my God,” Lewis said on her social media video.

Lewis then did her first interview, speaking on the “Megyn Kelly Show” on Sirius XM on Wednesday.

“I wanted to report this and after I did tell the cops, I let NYU security know to let students know that this man is going around doing this to other women,” Lewis said. “They also told me they were already aware of the man in the blue towel around his neck running around the city.

“It’s really sad. This is something that happens all the time in New York, and I really want to make sure I use my voice and keep others protected and also help other girls that have maybe gone through the same experience as I,” she added.

Police arrested 45-year-old James Rizzo in the attack and charged him with persistent sexual abuse, forcible touching and assault. According to the New York State Department of Corrections, Rizzo, who police sources say is homeless and has 16 prior arrests, was out on parole after serving time for sex abuse.

Police said Rizzo is also facing charges stemming from a string of four residential burglaries in Manhattan in the early morning hours on Tuesday, as well as two additional and unrelated attacks on women, including the random punching of a 59-year-old woman on Mercer Street in December 2023.

The other attack involved 68-year-old Dianne Brazell, of Houston, who was in New York last week for Thanksgiving. She said she was walking with her family on Fifth Avenue in Midtown when, out of nowhere, a man started screaming obscenities in her face.

“And then he seemed to step back for a moment. I thought he was going to leave, and the next thing I knew, I was slammed into a plate glass,” Brazell said.

She was dazed and bruised as people scrambled to help her.

“I have a laceration in my forehead that required six stitches. I have a bruise on my left leg from my knee to my ankle,” she said. “I have a bruise on my left shoulder. I bit my tongue.”

Despite the attack, Brazell said she has no problem returning to New York. In fact, she was overwhelmed by all the support she got.

“It just renewed my faith that even though there are some very bad people among us, there are many more wonderful people,” she said.

Rizzo was expected to be arraigned in a Manhattan courtroom on Wednesday night.

On NYU’s campus on Tuesday and Wednesday, nearly every young woman had seen the disturbing video.

“My dad sent it to me. He was like, ‘You’ve got to stop walking around with your noise-canceling headphones on, because it could be you in another world,'” student Jules Fang said.

“It was really disgusting to see that happen, because she was literally just like minding her business,” Victoria Valenzuela said.

“I think it’s kind of scary in New York City to be a woman,” Ella Filler said. “I’m actually hoping my parents never see the video because they would freak out.”

“Something happens like that and you just get on your toes a little bit more because you never know what’s gonna happen,” Bela Ahn added.

An NYU spokesperson responded to the incident, saying the school takes it seriously and is continuing to offer support to Lewis.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Police deliver Amazon packages found in middle of the road


WBZ

By Brandon Truitt

Click here for updates on this story

    BILLERICA, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Police in Billerica, Massachusetts delivered more than a dozen Amazon packages that have been found on the road. It happened on two occasions in just as many weeks.

It started the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Billerica Police Officer Sam Hawkes was making his rounds near the Market Basket on Boston Road when he drove up on eight Amazon packages laying in the middle of the road.

Instead of moving them off the street or throwing them away, Officer Hawkes called in back up. He and his fellow officers filled the back of two cruisers and hand delivered the packages themselves.

“They were in the middle of the road, so I got out thinking they were trash and [thought about] just pushing them closer to the dumpsters there. But then I found out they were full packages with orders inside,” said Hawkes. “I didn’t want to just leave them. There was nobody around. No cameras to help see what happened back there. That was the first thing we were looking for.”

One of those packages belonged to John Thomas’s wife. He was watching a football game on TV last week when he got a knock at the door. To his surprise, Billerica police officers were on the other side. “I walked out to get it, and I was like oh boy what happened now,” Thomas joked. “[My wife] came down and I said the police are here for you. I made a joke of it, and she said, yeah that’s my package.”

Cut to this week when officers found another eight Amazon packages laying on the side of Salem Road on the other side of town. The officer who found those packages provided the same courtesy and hand delivered the packages to their rightful owners.

Amazon said they were working with the Billerica Police Department on this but would not comment further.

Officer Tom Cranson helped pick up some of the packages off the road. “We all have to help each other out,” said Officer Cranson. “It is obviously stressful during the holidays so just to get people’s packages back was a huge stress reliever for everybody.”

Their efforts go above and beyond for the people whose deliveries were saved. “They have a lot of other things to do besides delivering packages, and I was very appreciative,” said Thomas.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Woman severely hurt, horse dies after she says bike rider scared them on trail. “It was terrifying.”


WBZ

By Aaron Parseghian

Click here for updates on this story

    IPSWICH, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A woman was severely injured after she was thrown off her horse on a trail in Ipswich, Massachusetts. She said a man on a mountain bike spooked the horse, which later died.

“It’s unfortunate that I’m so incapacitated right now,” Rosie Kennedy said from her bed at a rehab facility in Beverly Wednesday.

Back on November 21, she was riding her 8-year-old horse “Pops” on a trail in Ipswich, when she said a man on a mountain bike zipped past some railroad tracks and turned onto the trail.

“Pops just lost his mind, he was just terrified. He reared and he spun, and he started to gallop,” Kennedy said. She was thrown to the ground and dragged about 10 feet.

“The last thing I remember is hearing Pops galloping away at warp speed, and I never saw him again,” she said through tears. While injured on the ground, Kennedy said she asked the cyclist to identify himself.

“I was probably not polite at that time, I said ‘What are you doing riding along railroad tracks?’ I said it three times and he just left,” she recalled.

Kennedy managed to take a photo of him. She then crawled for a half hour to get back to the barn, where an ambulance picked her up. Pops was found on a farm nearby with life-threatening injuries. A veterinarian determined it was more humane to put him down.

Kennedy ended up with a shattered left ankle and a severely damaged right knee. She said the physical injuries pale in comparison to the loss of her horse.

“Sometimes you can’t control the situation and then a terrible tragedy occurs,” Kennedy said. “It just breaks my heart to think that he ran off running for his life with basically a fatal injury,” she said. “That’s hard to deal with.”

Kennedy chose to speak publicly about the incident to raise awareness about trail safety.

“There have been a lot of bicyclists who’ve moved in the past five or 10 years and have enjoyed our trails,” Kennedy said. “But not every trail is meant for a bicyclist to zoom around corners. Horses have the right of way no matter where they are.”

She added that approaching a horse quickly, whether on a bike or on foot, can be dangerous.

“Under no circumstances should any bicyclist or any pedestrian ever come up fast behind a horse. That is terrifying to them. And it was terrifying to Pops,” Kennedy said. “I think this accident has caused people to think about it very clearly and perhaps make some changes in the way that trails are opened, traversed at home.”

Ipswich police said they are looking into the incident, but no charges have been filed at this point in the investigation.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.