Yes, the man was setting traps that could well kill people. It was disconcerting that the first sentence said he "may" go to prison, as if that wouldn't be a rational response.
Maybe the paper thinks it's too harsh a punishment for someone who was "just trying to protect the environment" by killing cyclists.
They take great pains to say that the trails were legal bike trails. Would it make a difference if they weren't? Would it be Ok to set traps like this on non-public bike trails to stop bikers?
If those nasty mountainbikers are harming the ecology, then I think we should kick them out.
Then open up the trails to Jeeps and Humvees.