Three men accused of tying string across a path along Interstate 205 in Southeast Portland and injuring a bicyclist who unintentionally rode through it told police they set the traps to "harass the transients in the area," court records show.

A Portland police officer who responded to bicyclist Carlene Ostedgaard's 911 call on Friday night found Justin Jones, Antonio Tolman-Duran and Dakota Murphy standing near a retaining wall along the walking and biking path. Jones was wearing a kangaroo or lion onesie with an open-top pocket on the belly where a roll of white woven string was spotted by the officer, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Tolman-Duran told the officer they put up the string to "'[expletive] with the homeless' because 'we don't want them around here,'" the affidavit said. The trio said they put up the traps together, stringing them across the path at shoulder height, the court papers said.

All three men were arrested.

Jones, 23, and Tolman-Duran, 27, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court to accusations of third-degree assault and reckless endangering. Tolman-Duran appeared out of jail custody and Jones in custody. Jones cried during his arraignment.

Despite Murphy's arrest, no formal complaint against him has been filed by the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, and the case against him has been sent back for more investigation, court records show. He could be formally charged on a later date. Murphy, 21, also is out of jail custody.

Ostedgaard, 35, told The Oregonian/OregonLive she didn't see the string before she rode into it and cut her around her eyes and chin. She said she saw the three men just before hitting the string and mistook them for children.

Ostedgaard said she was glad arrests were made and that if the men were convicted, she would advocate for them to receive community service, meet with her, apologize and engage in other activity that "would make them better people."

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey