A Durango man is suspected of shooting a gun at a U.S. Forest Service sign and accidentally striking another man in the arm with a piece of shrapnel north of Durango, according to the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred about 2 p.m. Sunday on Missionary Ridge Road (County Road 253) near Stevens Creek on the east side of the Animas Valley.

A 36-year-old man from the Front Range told law enforcement he was hiking with another individual when they encountered two other people shooting at a Forest Service sign.

The man was struck in the left arm by a piece of shrapnel from the sign or the projectile, said Sgt. Chris Burke with the Sheriff’s Office. The man received a small abrasion to his arm, but he didn’t require medical attention, Burke said.

The incident resulted in a verbal altercation between the hikers and the shooters, he said.

After the altercation, the shooters took off in a vehicle, and the hikers called 911, Burke said.

The Sheriff’s Office was able to find the vehicle driving on U.S. Highway 550 and initiated a traffic stop.

Ryan Barkley, 21, admitted to shooting at the sign and was cited with prohibited use of a weapon, third-degree assault and criminal mischief, Burke said.

The prohibited use of a weapon charge resulted from being careless with a gun, the assault charge resulted from hitting the hiker with shrapnel and the criminal mischief charge resulted from causing damage to the Forest Service sign, Burke said.

“There wasn’t any intent to try and injure the other male, so I don’t believe the weapon was confiscated,” Burke said.

Efforts to reach Barkley for comment were unsuccessful Thursday.

Scott Owen, spokesman with the San Juan National Forest, said people are not allowed to shoot from roads and trails or across roads and trails on National Forest lands. Shooting at signs is considered defacing government property, he said.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s BB, pellet, rifle, shotgun,” he said.

shane@durangoherald.com