FAMILY FEUD — A family picnic turned into reports of a riot at Utah Lake State Park on Monday.

Park officers were called by park employees when a group in a truck approached a family group of nearly 200 people having a holiday barbecue near the entrance station and they started arguing, said Bob Foote, manager of Utah Lake State Park.

Another group was returning from swimming in the lake and begin to approach the park officers and appeared aggressive toward the police, and the argument began to escalate, so back up was called in, said Provo police Sgt. Alan Kuchar.

About 30 police officers responded from Provo, Orem, the county sheriff’s office and the Utah Highway Patrol to help quell the arguing group. Some policemen had bean bag guns in case force was needed.

“We’d rather have a show of force than to have to use force,” Kuchar said.

The entrance to the park was closed for about half an hour as police cars crowded the street in front of the park.

The fighting remained verbal. No one was injured and no weapons were found, Foote said.

Two citations were issued for alcohol violations — one for consumption or possession by a minor and one for an open container in the truck that initially approached the group.

One arrest was made — Imua Fonohema, 20, was arrested for having two outstanding warrants.

All members involved in the argument were related to one another, Foote said.

HORSE ACCIDENT — A 24-year-old woman was horseback riding with family members around 9 a.m. on Monday when her horse had a heart attack, rolled over and died, Provo paramedics said.

The woman was riding in the area of Eagle Ridge Ranch at 1022 E. Windsor Park Dr. when the horse fell on top of the woman, rolling over her and kicking her in the back of the head, paramedics said.

She was taken by LifeFlight helicopter to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center with head injuries. The injuries were not serious and she was released from the hospital around 1 p.m. on Monday.

BICYCLE ACCIDENT– A 40-year-old Orem man remains in critical condition after being hit by a car while riding his bicycle on Sunday.

Bruce Walton was riding his bicycle eastbound on 500 North, Provo, near the crosswalk on the south side of the intersection at Freedom Boulevard, when northbound 21-year-old Jayton Wakefield, of Provo, hit him with his 1992 Nissan 4×4 pickup.

Walton was taken to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and was later flown by a LifeFlight helicopter to the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City.

He sustained injuries to his head and has several broken bones in his face and is in the intensive-care unit in critical conditions.

Wakefield was not injured.

No citations have been issued and the accident is still under investigation to determine fault.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A2.

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