Doctor convicted of injuring cyclists

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- An emergency room doctor has been convicted of intentionally injuring two cyclists with his car on a narrow road in Los Angeles, prosecutors said.

Dr. Christopher Thompson, 60, was immediately taken into custody Monday after being convicted of mayhem and assault with a deadly weapon, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Mary Stone said.

"There's not a cyclist in Los Angeles who would feel comfortable with this defendant out on the road after this verdict," Stone said in Superior Court.

Thompson faces up to 10 years in prison when he sentenced Dec. 3. He was convicted of braking hard in front of Ron Peterson and Christian Stoehr on Mandeville Canyon Road July 4, 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Peterson, 41, who coaches cycling at USC and UCLA, suffered a broken nose, broken teeth and face lacerations. Stoehr, 30, suffered a separated shoulder.

Thompson told police he was trying to teach the cyclists a lesson for not riding single file on the narrow road.