The Mount Taylor Winter Quadrathlon is grueling enough -- it starts with a 13-mile bike race from Grants, a 5-mile run on graveled roads, then a 2-mile cross-country ski over a rugged course, a climb on snowshoes to the 11,301-foot summit, and then all over again.

But there was an unexpected wrinkle for the 25th running of the Mount Taylor Quad last month -- 23 bicycles owned by competitors were damaged when a green truck plowed into them, narrowly missed volunteers and crashed through bleachers before coming to an abrupt stop at a large tree, the Cibola County Beacon reported.

Miraculously, no one was hurt.

But the driver of the truck, a U.S. Forest Service employee named Craig Trinkle, has been charged with driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs in connection with the accident, the Beacon reported.

According to a report filed by the New Mexico State Police, Trinkle was found to have alcohol, marijuana and several prescription drugs in his system, the Beacon said.

When the runaway truck finally came to a halt by slamming into the tree, the wheels were still spinning, so State Police Officer Santiago Grijalva reached inside and turned off the ignition, according to police reports.

Trinkle appeared to be having a seizure and was taken to a hospital by ambulance where he was released two days after the Feb. 17 incident, the Beacon reported.

"We will just have to wait and see how that all ends up in court," District Ranger Chuck Hagerdon told the Beacon. "We're just thankful nobody was hurt."

Hagerdon said Trinkle remains on medical leave and that his office will be conducting its own review of the incident.

Athletes whose bicycles were damaged in the incident have been advised to call 1-877-372-7248 and ask to be connected to the claims staff, the Beacon reported.

The Mount Taylor Quadrathlon Web site also lists an e-mail address for those with damaged bicycles. 

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