A local Navy veteran went from accident victim to crime victim in a space of less than six months. In September, Dan Schneider was thrown off his bike in a freak accident on La Mesa Boulevard. His face was ripped apart by the pavement.
"I had road rash onto my face. You can still see a little bit on my arms and legs,” he said, pointing out his injuries.
Dan’s bike was totaled so his bought him a $3,000 road bike for Christmas to replace the bike he lost in the accident. Dan, a local Navy veteran, rode the new bike for the first time on Sunday, only to have it stolen after its maiden voyage.
“It was right on the end there,” said Dan, pointing to the bike rack on the back of his car. Dan says he was parked at the Rite Aid on El Cajon Boulevard in the College Area around 6 p.m. The thief used bolt cutters to free the bike from the lock.
He said his 12-year-old Granddaughter, Caitlyn, was so upset she picked up the bolt cutters and threw them. Her message to the thief?
"I want them to know they did something really bad to my Grandpa,” she told 10News.
Dan’s bike was not only an expensive purchase, it was a symbol of his recovery and his means of getting to work. He’s offering a $500 reward for its safe return, no questions asked.
"I'm just eaten up inside," he said.
