Mother, Daughter Joggers Fend Off Aggressive Coyote

CORONA DEL MAR (CBSLA.com) — An Orange County woman and her daughter said they had a frightening encounter with a coyote while jogging with their two dogs in Crystal Cove State Park  on Tuesday evening.

Maddy Goon told KCAL9's Stacey Butler on Wednesday that she was out ahead of her mother with her dog Chloe when they met up with a coyote the size of a German shepherd.

"I had my dog, but it was still coming at me and that's when I got real terrified, and just started sprinting" Maddy said. "My first instinct was 'You are not going to eat my dog.'"

Maddy said she and Chloe stopped in their tracks when the large coyote tried to attack them. Lisa Goon said she and her dog, Bodie, ran to help.

"So that's when I screamed at her, 'Pick up the dog,'" Goon said.

Maddy said she tripped and lost control of the leash, and saw the coyote lunge for Chloe. Maddy was able to jump on top of her dog and managed to pick her up.

"Then the next thing I saw was Chloe running up the hill as fast as she could, Maddy trailing behind her, and what looked like a German shepherd chasing them," her mother recounted.

Goon said she stood between the coyote and her daughter, raised her hands and screamed. The move worked, and mom and daughter, and the two dogs, escaped unharmed.

"Everyone was saying 'Oh you're both so brave,'" Goon said. "And I said, 'I'm not brave. I defended my child.' That's the momma bear coming out. What she did was brave."

According to animal control records about 15 minutes after Maddy and her mother faced the coyote, another person reported a vicious animal on the loose in the area, although officers were unable to find it.

Maddy and her mother hope their encounter will be a warning to other pet owners in the area.