Mark Perkins of Roanoke Valley Auto Works used 190 feet of cable to pull a Jeep that slipped off the Canal Trail Saturday up at least a 30-feet incline of bramble, and spare the historic trail from further damage.

His strategy this afternoon probably saved the city at least half of what it would take to repair the trail had the Jeep been pulled back onto the Canal Trail at the point it went in, Parks and Recreation Director John Simeon said this evening.

The extraction of the Jeep comes as the city prepares for the March 8 Roanoke Canal Trail Half Marathon. “My assessment, where equipment damage had been done, we're looking at putting crush and run in to stabilize the surface. There was no major damage to the canal, but the surface area needs to be reworked, graded and stabilized,” Simeon said.

The parks and recreation director estimates the cost of repairs to be in the neighborhood of $3,000.

The Jeep goes up the bramble.

The plan to take the Jeep up through the thicket and to Carolina Street, where Noel Jenkins, 46, drove it down, Simeon said, “Spared the trail considerably. That he could remove the vehicle and keep the canal intact was great and it only did surface damage.”

Repairs, however, become time sensitive as the race, which drew runners from 12 states and three countries last year, is only a few weeks away.

There was about 300 yards of damage to the trail as well as access points.

For Perkins, the strategy was simple. “We didn't want to tear it up or do more anymore damage to the Canal Trail.”

This is not the first time Perkins has been dispatched to the trail to tow out a motorized vehicle, which are strictly forbidden on the trail under city ordinance. “It's probably been seven or eight over the last 15 years.”

The city received the report around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, and police cited Jenkins with criminal damage to the property and trespassing.

Simeon said the city will continue to try to educate the public about motorized vehicles not being allowed on the trail. “We will try to educate the the community of the safety factors with motorized vehicles, and also make the public aware the city ordinance says no motorized vehicles are allowed on the trail. The removal of the vehicle was as absolutely as good as we could hope for as far as damage to the trail and the safety of everyone involved.”