During a bike ride through idyllic Napa County, a woman was allegedly harnessed around her neck by a rope from a hot air balloon that was passing overhead, according to her lawsuit.
On the morning of Oct. 24, 2009, Pamela Contos was traveling Henry Road when "the pilot working for Napa Valley Balloons Inc. allowed a rope from a descending balloon to hang down directly in her path," according to the Napa Valley Register.
A phone call seeking comment from the balloon company was referred to the business office, where a message was left. There was no immediate reply.
Contos' lawsuit alleges that she was lifted from her bicycle by the rope around her neck, then falling to the ground, resulting in multiple medical procedures and an absence from work for five months.
According to her attorney, she seeks monetary damages, lost pay, medical and incidental expenses, personal property damages and legal expenses.
