Coyote Attacks Man and Toddler

A coyote bit a father and his 3-year-old son in Irvine today and although the injuries were minor, the wounds were swabbed so tests for rabies or other pathogens can be conducted.

The father was working inside his garage about 6:20 p.m. in the first block of Forbes and his son was playing nearby when the coyote bit the boy on the right knee, Capt. Steve Concialdi of the Orange County Fire Authority said.

The boy then jumped on his father’s back, apparently to get away from the animal, and then the father, who is in his 40s, was bitten on the right side of his buttocks, according to the captain.

The coyote walked off and was not immediately located by police and animal control officers, Concialdi said.

The father drove himself and the boy to Hoag Hospital Irvine, Concialdi said.

“Any time you have a wild animal there’s a concern (about rabies or other diseases), but we want to make sure if these coyotes are aggressive, we want to find them,” Concialdi said.

The address where the attack took place is near open spaces, including Limestone Canyon Regional Park.

City News Service; Photo: Patch Archive