THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LEAVENWORTH, Wash. -- The Washington State Patrol says actor James Caviezel suffered minor injuries when a man hurled a bicycle into the path of his motorcycle about 14 miles southeast of Leavenworth.

Caviezel, who portrayed Jesus in Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," was injured Thursday afternoon. Trooper Rich Magnussen says the actor was taken to Cascade Medical Center in this northcentral Washington city for treatment of cuts and bruises.

Magnussen says the 40-year-old Caviezel, of Woodland Hills, Calif., was wearing a helmet, and adds, "it could have been a lot worse." The trooper says he doesn't know why the actor was in the Leavenworth area.

Caviezel was born in Mount Vernon, Wash.

There was no indication why the man tossed the bike into the path of Caviezel's 2006 Harley Davidson but Magnussen says mental issues may be involved. Troopers plan to forward their investigation to the Chelan County prosecutor's office for possible charges against a 42-year-old Wenatchee man.