DA gives 30-month sentence to man who threw hatchet at bike rider in north Portland

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt just announced a 30-month sentence for a man who threw a hatchet at a passing bicycle rider.

According to a statement from the DA’s office Tuesday, 48-year-old Leo Cox was sentenced Monday after being found guilty of Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a jury last month.

The incident happened in September 2021. “Cox was walking in the area of North Broadway and North Larrabee and appeared to be angry, carrying a hatchet in one hand while his other hand was balled into a fist. A cyclist passed Cox and he began to chase them.”

Here’s more from the statement:

“The cyclist observed Cox chasing him and rode away to avoid him at which point Cox threw the hatchet at the cyclist, nearly hitting him. Cox remained in the area and was contacted by police still holding the hatchet he had retrieved after throwing it at the cyclist. Officers commanded him to drop the weapon. Cox complied and was taken into custody.

A quick search on Google reveals that this was not the first time Cox assaulted someone with a hatchet. He was arrested in Burbank, California for a similar charge. According to a statement from the Los Angeles County DA Cox was also convicted of murder in 1998.

This section of Interstate is sketchy without someone throwing a hatchet at you. The bike lanes are unprotected and narrow at the underpass and because of the MAX light rail tracks and no cross-streets there’s no escape route if you feel unsafe.