'Trail rage' suspect in custody

The man suspected of attacking a woman after their dogs had fought on a Glen Ellen trail turned himself in Tuesday night. Paul Mott, 53, of Kenwood, was jailed on robbery, battery and cruelty to animal charges for the Sunday morning altercation. Bail was set at $50,000.

The 60-year-old woman was walking her dog along a trail near Sonoma Valley Regional Park at about 9 a.m. on September 22. When a man walking an Australian Shepard approached, the dogs got into a brief fight. Mott allegedly then assaulted the woman, wrapping his leash around the her neck and ripping her glasses off.

According to the sheriff’s report, she was able to fight off the attacker, and threatened to take a photo of him with her cell phone camera. The suspect then yanked the phone out of her hands and threw it into a trailside lake.

He continued screaming at her and kicked her dog several times before he took off running toward Arnold Drive, the woman said. The victim, who suffered a scraped hand, eventually flagged down another hiker who called the Sheriff’s Office for help.

Mott turned himself in to detectives at about 7:30 Tuesday night and was booked into Sonoma County jail.