Rabid coyote attacks man in Saddle River, N.J., latest in recent spate of attacks

Police said it happened while victim Mike Vincent was working in his yard in the area of Oak Road. He was knocked to the ground and bitten repeatedly, and had to fight his way to safety. (WCBS via CNN Newsource)

A man was attacked by a rabid coyote in Saddle River, New Jersey, on Tuesday.

Police said it happened while victim Mike Vincent was working in his yard in the area of Oak Road. He was knocked to the ground and bitten repeatedly, and had to fight his way to safety.

There have been at least four coyote attacks in Bergen County in recent weeks, in Saddle River and Woodcliff Lake.

Vincent said was out trimming trees when the coyote came up behind him.

“I just kind of turned around and went ‘Oh God.’ As I turned around, the rope got wrapped up between him and me. He tried to bite me again and I just hit him. I punched him,” Vincent said.

The brawl didn’t last long, as Vincent managed to beat the animal back.

“It’s only 40 or 50 pounds, so you think you can take care of it. But it’s got teeth and it’s coming at you,” Vincent said.

Saddle River police quickly responded. They found the visibly sick coyote along tree line and euthanized it. The animal later tested positive for rabies, police said.

Vincent made a quick trip to the hospital for treatment, but will have the scars to prove he survived a clash with a coyote.

“I got bit there and I got bit there,” he said, showing his wounds. “[There is] no time to be scared. You have to take care of business.”

Back in September, two people were attacked by coyotes in Saddle River. The coyote in one of those instances also tested positive for rabies.

On Monday afternoon, a woman in Woodcliff Lake was attacked in the backyard of a home while out with the family dog. She was bitten on the back and leg and was treated for her injuries. That attack was caught on surveillance video.

“They’re probably one of the most skittish species that we work with,” said Nancy Warner of Last Resort Wildlife Refuge in West Milford.

Warner is currently nursing a coyote, named Halo, back to health after it was hit by a car. She said most coyotes will run away from humans.

“If it doesn’t, that would indicate that there’s something not quite normal about it. In that case, I would say you should get either inside of a vehicle or inside your house and call the local authorities,” Warner said.

Woodcliff Lake police Capt. Chad Malloy offered some tips on how to keep most coyotes a safe distance away.

“If you live near a wooded area, that’s when you’ve got to be more aware of your surroundings, because obviously they lurk in heavily forested areas. Keep pet food inside, don’t leave it outside, your garbage cans locked. Clear any kind of heavy brush that’s in the area, because they like to hide in that. And bird feeders that knock off seeds attract small animals, which attract coyotes,” Malloy said.