Mountain Lion Captured in La Verne

By Tania Chatila

LA VERNE – Officials captured a mountain lion Tuesday morning, then re-released the animal back into the wild.

Police received a call just before 2 a.m. of a mountain lion sitting atop a 210 Freeway soundwall that borders a home in the 1500 block of Beaver Way, La Verne police Lt. Gary Mason said.

“It’s not uncommon for us to get calls of bears or mountain lions because we are a foothill community,” Mason said, “but this was a little different because it was pretty far down into the neighborhood.”

Officers contacted officials with the state Department of Fish and Game who came out and chased the lion about 100 yards to Wheeler Avenue, near Baseline Road.

There, the lion hid in some bushes but was eventually tranquilized, Mason said.

Fish and Game officials drove the lion into the forest above Mt. Baldy where the animal was released, he said, adding the whole incident spanned about an hour.

No one was injured.

Fish and Game officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.

The incident prompted city officials to set up a moutain lion hotline at (951) 443-2969.

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