SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) – A man dressed as Santa Claus was knocked unconscious by a thrown object that hit his face while he was riding on the back of a truck decorated as a sleigh.

Kevin Smith says he never saw what hit him Saturday. Whatever it was, it broke his nose and gave him a concussion and two black eyes.

“One second I was up there waving to people, and the next minute I wasn’t,” Smith said.

He was taking part in Santa Run, sponsored by the firefighters union, which features off-duty firefighters who dress up as Santa and ride through residential areas handing out candy to children.

Other volunteers realized something was wrong after they hadn’t heard from Smith for a few minutes. They stopped the truck and found him lying unconscious.

St. Nick’s ride struck by barrage

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) – Not even Santa is safe in Rio de Janeiro.

A helicopter carrying a Santa Claus to distribute gifts at a Christmas party came under fire when it flew over a Rio shantytown, authorities said Wednesday.

The chopper was hit by two rifle shots Sunday, but no one was injured and the aircraft returned safely to its base, police inspector Aldari Vianna said by telephone.

Gang members apparently attacked the helicopter thinking it belonged to the police, Vianna said.

It’s not unusual for gangs to shoot at police helicopters in Rio de Janeiro, one of the most violent cities in the world, with a homicide rate of about 50 per 100,000 people.

The Santa Claus, who did not want to identify himself, was later transported by car to the party – for children in another poor neighborhood – where he distributed about 700 presents.

“As a Santa Claus, I was very sad to see the children frustrated,” he said, according to the Agencia Estado news service. “They were expecting Santa to arrive by helicopter and that didn’t happen.”

Police did not identify the Santa.

Two arrested after Claus vandalized

NORTH BABYLON, N.Y. (AP) – Two people have been arrested in a holiday season screwdriver attack on an inflatable Santa Claus on Long Island.

Suffolk County police say the pranksters punctured the holiday decoration in front of a West Islip (EYE’-slip) home.

They say that when the 16-year-old and 20-year-old culprits returned to get a cell phone they had left at the scene, the homeowner followed them in his car and called 911.

Police say the two grinches were arrested on criminal-mischief charges and were held overnight.