MILWAUKEE — Stand at the entrance to the Kinnickinnic River Trail, and one will see dozens of bike riders and pedestrians making their way along the path.
A sign at the trail's entrance reads "no motor vehicles"—though neighbors say that doesn't stop motorcyclists from using the trail.
Gary Hartung lives steps away from the trail's entrance and recently heard a group of six motorcycle riders leaving the trail. Hartung recorded a video of the riders while telling them to stop traveling on the pedestrian path when, he says, he was struck multiple times by one rider and knocked unconscious.
Now, Hartung has a broken nose, a split lip, and a badly bruised eye and face.
"I watched them as much as I could, trying to get plates or faces or anything, and then I walked among them, and one guy just punched me. I was out, knocked out," Hartung recalled.
Police are now investigating the assault and looking for the unidentified suspects. Hartung says the investigation will be difficult since many of the motorcyclists didn’t have license plates.
Watch: Man recovering from assault after confronting motorcyclists on walking path
His wife, Laura, reached out to TMJ4 after the attack to help bring this safety issue to light.
"I want these people accountable," Laura Hartung said. "I want the community to stay together and to speak up, to be safe and protect each other."
As someone who uses the trail daily, she says she experiences the danger posed by motor vehicles on the path firsthand.
"It's just disappointing that we cannot be safe or do any activity on a space that is for cyclists and pedestrians," she told TMJ4.
Doctors say Gary's face will take a month to heal.
In the meantime, the Hartungs are hoping their story will bring these riders to justice and deter others from putting people in harm’s way in the future.
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