Bicyclist Bites Man's Finger on Sammamish River Trail

are looking for three male suspects who they say got into an altercation Friday evening with a family walking along the . 

Department spokesman Jim Bove said a married couple was walking with the woman's father along the trail near Leary Way Northeast at about 9:30 p.m. when a group of three males rode by on bicycles and dropped a bag of something that appeared to be marijuana.

Later on, the cyclists turned around and accused the family of picking up the bag. When they explained another person had already grabbed the dropped item, one of the cyclists attacked the husband, biting his pinkie finger and “causing him to bleed pretty badly,” Bove said.

The man's wife attempted to call 911, but one of the suspects smacked the phone out of her hand before the trio rode away, Bove said. One of the victims eventually was able to call for help, and the man was treated at the scene for his injury.

Police do not have a detailed description of the suspects' appearance to release to the public, Bove said, adding that altercations on the trail are "very rare."

“I haven’t heard of one in several years,” he said.

The case remains under investigation, Bove said.