By Mary O’KEEFE

A resident in the Pinecrest area wants to warn neighbors that mountain lions have been sighted in the area.

“I woke up [on June 6] to see a mountain lion taking down [what appeared to be] a deer in my backyard,” said Rebecca Harvey.

Harvey lives on Timberlake Drive. A portion of her backyard is a tall, sloped hill. There are ice plants that cover one area that links her property with neighbors where deer are often seen.

“The kids call it deer run,” she said.

About 3 a.m. this morning her family heard a “horrible noise.”

“I ran outside and saw a huge mountain lion,” Harvey said.

The mountain lion was attacking what appeared to be a deer.

“I think it was a deer,” she added, “Whatever it was [attacking], it was big,”

She contacted the sheriff’s station, however because the mountain lion was not attacking a person, they told her they couldn’t do anything, she said.

She is contacting the California Department of Fish and Game.

The family has a basketball court near the area the mountain lion was seen.

“My kids play basketball there. I am concerned and just want the public to know,” Harvey said.

  Mary Okeefe