LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The 110-pound mountain lion believed to have attacked two mountain
bikers Thursday -- killing one of them -- was "stalking" sheriff's deputies when a helicopter
spotted the big cat, a discovery that may have saved their lives. Authorities shot and killed the
2-year-old male cat, and DNA tests were being performed Friday on the contents of its stomach to
determine if it was involved in both attacks. The fatal attack marked only the sixth time in more
than 110 years of California record-keeping that a mountain lion has killed a human in the state.
There have been 41 fatal attacks nationwide, including 10 since 1990. Orange County sheriff
spokesman Jim Amormino said authorities received a call at about 4:15 p.m. Thursday that a mountain
lion had pounced on mountain biker Anne Hjelle, 30, and dragged her by her head into the brush.
Cyclists worked to free Hjelle, who was in serious condition in a hospital Friday. Debbie Nichols
said the lion dragged her friend 100 yards into the brush while she held on in an effort to pull her
friend from the mountain lion's grip. She also screamed for help, eventually attracting the
attention of other bikers. "I kept saying, 'I can't hold much longer,'" Nichols said. The animal
stared at its prey and never looked at Nichols, she said. "He was definitely engaged in his prey,"
she said. Nils Magmuson said he heard screams from the two women as he rode by on his bicycle. He
said the women "sounded like they were in agony." When he got to the scene, he said, the mountain
lion had Hjelle by her head and Nichols was holding onto her friend's legs. Mountain lion 'out for
blood' "The mountain lion had her face in his mouth and would not let her go," he said. "I was in
shock." He and other bikers threw rocks in an attempt to scare off the animal. A man who was at the
scene shortly after the attack said he frequents the trails in the area and has often seen mountain
lions, but described this one as being "out for blood." The mountain lion eventually disappeared
into the woods. The man who called 911 noticed a bicycle at the scene but said its cyclist could not
be accounted for. He told the operator he thought their may be another victim. While searching for
the mountain lion, authorities found the body of a second attack victim -- identified as Mark
Jeffrey Reynolds, 35, an account executive for a sports marketing company in Anaheim. Two
helicopters using heat-seeking devices located the mountain lion around 8 p.m. "The animal was
stalking three deputies, about ready to possibly attack them," Amormino said. "Two deputies fired,
killing the mountain lion." When authorities shot the animal, it was within 50 feet of Reynolds'
body, which was partially covered with plant material. An autopsy was being performed on Reynolds to
determine an exact time of death. Amormino said it appeared Reynolds' body had been there for two to
12 hours. "The victim was disfigured by the animal," he said. A second mountain lion in the area was
struck by a car and killed. Authorities said tests would also be performed on that animal. The
attacks occurred in the Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, a popular area for mountain bikers. Hjelle
was riding with a friend on a trail when the animal attacked. The mountain lion is reclusive that
typically doesn't want to be seen by humans. Capt. Steve Miller with the Orange County Fire
Department said authorities were puzzled about what prompted this one to attack. "Whenever you're in
an area that has deer in the area, you are undoubtedly in mountain lion habitat," Miller said. But
he added, "It's still extremely rare to have a lion that identifies a human being as an item on
their menu." Animal expert Jack Hanna told CNN he could only theorize that the lion may have been
injured, prompting it to change its usual behavior. Whatever the reason, he said, the attack was an
extremely rare event. Mountain lions "are very elusive," Hanna said. "They don't want to see you any
more than you want to see them."
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