The Nation - News from May 20, 1986

A circus elephant went berserk before a picture-taking session in Catskill, N.Y., and stomped on his trainer, then dropped a pickup truck on him as the man lay helpless, police said. Alfred Vidbel, 59, owner of the Vidbel Circus, was critically injured in the accident. The elephant, named Daffodil, was immediately chained up and led away. It was not known what caused the elephant to turn on Vidbel, Police Sgt. Charles Adsit said. Vidbel, who had brought two elephants to the Jamesway Plaza shopping center outside Albany for a show, was bringing Daffodil closer for a picture session when the elephant became agitated.