Elderly Man Bitten by Bear After Bear is Struck by Vehicle
Photo from reader Samantha Minton
An elderly man was bitten by a bear before 11:30 a.m. today, as reported by scanner traffic.
According to the California Highway Patrol Incident Information Page, the bear was struck by a blue Chevrolet hauling a trailer near Berry Summit on Highway 299.
The bear was reported to be “severely” injured, but scanner traffic later said “there was a bystander severely bitten by the bear as well.” The man is believed to be approximately 75 years old.
A bystander applied a tourniquet to what is thought to be an open fracture. A REACH helicopter was requested to respond to the scene but was later canceled. We will update this post when we get more information.
Please remember that this story is unfolding. Information is being reported as we gather it. However, some of the information coming from witnesses and initial official reports could be wrong. We will do our best to get the facts but, in the case that something is inaccurate, we will update with correct information as soon as we can.
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What happened to the bear?
Most certainly euthanized. They don’t call ambulances for bears.
Are you sure? That looks like an ambulance in the photo.
Actually they do. Well kinds. Fish and Game will make a determination on injuries and take animals to the vet and or wildlife rehab center. By the looks of this guy I doubt that happened. here.
Died of lead poisoning….
But it’s illegal to shoot animals with lead bullets?
It is. Only steel shot allowed in CA. Not to say that it isn’t readily available in other states or people still have it on hand.
They called for a Reach Medivac Helicopter, in error, because they mistook the bears tourniqueted suspected open fracture, for being the tourniqueted wound of a human, in error…
Sounds like just as soon as EMS finally figured out the true nature of the situation, the unnecessary REACH helicopter was promptly cancelled…
When I passed this scene around 11:45 the poor bear was dead on the side of the road. There were a lot of responders on the scene including animal control and fish and game. It was so sad to see this animal killed this way.
After the bear was struck it probably was the most humane thing to do. Sorry to hear about the bear and the elderly man.
The attempt to save the bears life by using a tourniquet was unsuccessful…
Was he trying to help the bear?
“A bystander applied a tourniquet to what is thought to be an open fracture.”
For the bear?
So many questions.
No the bear applied the tourniquet the man had a broken arm duh it’s so obvious
Thanks, at least someone gets it.
Intelligence is tied to humor.
It was a good question, before you tried to play it off as a joke…
You should have stuck to your guns…
You started out on the right track…
wtf lol
No one in their right mind would try to put a tourniquet on a live bear with an open fracture. The bystander put the tourniquet on the elderly gentleman.
But, no one in their right mind would presume that everyone IS in their right mind, Martin…
You may have jumped to the wrong conclusion…
Sounds like you weren’t the only one, to be fair…
Sounds like the guy got bit trying to put a tourniquet on the bears broken leg…
Strange, but true…
No one in their right mind would get close enough to a wounded bear to get bit…
Hindsight being 20/20, it’s certainly possible that someone irrational enough to risk doing that might also conceivably be irrational enough to also attempt applying a tourniquet to it’s wounded leg…
In the continuing Saga of Humboldt County, CA, where the precedent is often set, for unprecedented events…
That elderly man is lucky to be alive. That is a pretty good size bear and when injured by the vehicle he was aggressive as hell. Thank you to the bystander who applied a tourniquet to the open fracture. I hope the man will completely heal from his wounds and be fine again. If you see a bear like that please stay in your vehicle until help arrives.
I believe that the tourniquet wielding bystander attempting to stop the bears bleeding wounded leg, and the bear bitten man, are actually one and the same, Martin…
The 75 year old man must have mistook that dangerous wounded bear for “Gentle Ben”…
People need to slow the hell down. Wish a swift and speedy recovery to the bear.
I’m sorry but this is a gross generalization someone invariably makes on every post that involves negative consequences of interaction with a vehicle. Slow down! The cure-all for every risk behind the wheel -fact check: false. In this case the DUMB bear probably came running down the side of the mountain right in front of the car- doesn’t matter if going 30 or 50 you can’t stop in time!
Probably true. I worked on the construction of the Redwood Park Bypass and we had a bear run off the hill right into the path of a 200,000 lb. earthmover. No more bear, sad.
Well, nah.
Slow or fast describes a rate. Distance/time. “Slow” means that you don’t travel as much distance in any given second.
To execute an avoidance maneuver, you need a certain amount of time to see the bear (it has to be out of the trees), recognize it (you see it’s something, moving towards your lane) and react, hit the brakes, swerve, or prepare to hold course and hit. Then you have the mechanical reaction to your inputs, and then the effectiveness: your stopping distance once the brakes are applied. In the case of the 200,000lb. Euc, at a given speed it would take longer to stop than a 20,000 lb truck or 2000 lb car. “slow” gives you an extra second to do do the recognize, & react stuff. Usually the speed that might allow you time to avoid hitting something is slower than the maximum speed you can maintain your car on the road. Many people try to drive right at the edge of control all the time. Trucks (& blue Chevy’s with trailers) have a lower maximum speed limit because they obviously need more time to stop.
I once had a young bear start to run out on to the road in front of my vehicle one night.
It was an awful moment. I was sure I was going to hit it.
The bear saw me and did a pirouette in midair that was nothing short of spectacular, and leapt back off the road.
Bear-ryshnikov!
They may look like they are lumbering along, but they are not clumsy.
Especially if you’re towing something.
Hate to burst your bubble Pollyanna, but the bear is most certainly dead.
No, the elderly man bit the person applying the torniquet. While the bear recorded it on its phone. Duh
The elderly man bit himself…???
No, the bear bit the man who was trying to apply a tourniquet to the bears wounded leg…
Strange, but apparently true…
(Explains the cancelled REACH Medical Helicopter…)
This very unusual story is well worthy of a follow up…
this is not what happened. The bear bit the man because he was standing too close to it. We watched it happen. Prior to this, someone offered to put the bear out of its misery and this guy declined. Only a few minutes later he was bitten.
What’s the bears Instagram page?
We saw him petting it when we drove by….
Wait really?!
The bear seems to be between a rock and a hard place. We could do a better job of designing animal-safe traffic barriers.
That is a good photograph of the bear.
It’s horrible. Usually it can ignore such things but that’s too graphic for me. I hate seeing anything suffering.
That would be animals that are safe from traffic, so obviously we must ban vehicle traffic. It’s the only way to be sure.
Agreed. It was such a hot day, maybe it was trying to find water. Wish all highways were required to build animal crossings
He was petting it when we drove by
I feel sorry for the bear, the person with a damaged vehicle, and, the 75 year old man you called “Elderly”…
I am not allowed to call women “girls”, but you shouldn’t call anybody “elderly”, and instead, just call them “Elders”…
I’m 73 myself, but be careful who you are calling “old”…
“Elders”, is the correct term. Please make a note of it.
Thank you so very much!
Funny, i feel the same way about the word “elderly,” though it seems that technically the noun “elder” and adjective “elderly” should both refer to the same age and respectability grouping. “Elder” sounds very respectful– a description of someone to whom we should all listen. “Elderly” sounds frail and decrepit– a tremulous voice, wandering mind, questionable walking and standing ability, etc. Nothing wrong with that, either; may we all achieve those extended years and a non-violent path to the grave, if we prefer it. But hearty and healthy people are not “elderly,” no matter what their age, until they are.
We don’t know anything about this man except that he will have quite a tale to tell, and his years as an elder have not ceased to be adventurous.
Elderly is doddering, mumbling, watching TV in the SNF bed, seeing bugs on everything, experiencing dementia…
Elders are what you said, experienced and wise, but not really valued or respected in out culture…
Seniors are anyone over 55, and the term implies a certain confident preparedness…
I watched a video describing how few have enough to be retired, much less “Elderly”…
Something like only 4% of all USA households have $1,000,000 in liquid and real assets…
So maybe we really are frail and decrepit, after all…
Elders are experienced but not all are wise — some are just stupid people who got old, which seems to be the case here — no one should approach a bear, wounded or not.
If you must; throw a coat over it’s head first.
Twice I’ve come across deer hit by a car and left to suffer — I didn’t have a gun but both times as I approached instead of panicking they extended their necks and put their heads flat to the ground and I was able to end their suffering instantaneously.
But a bear is another story — if I had a gun I’d shoot it but I’d never think of approaching it.
Down vote — ha, ha!!
What would you do?
Drive past and let the deer suffer?
Sneak up on the bear and cut its throat?
Call an ambulance?
Deer kill way more people each year then bears.
Deer don’t actually kill, they’re just in the way and create an unsafe scenario for you.
You’ve never come upon a mother dear right after having a baby have you?
Eh. I’m in that category. But what I joke about myself is far more snide and cynical.
Senior (designates age group 65+)
Not according to AARP. You can be a member at 55. Just wait until you hit 52 and your mailbox will start getting the applications. You also get 10% off everything. Growing old isn’t for ______.
Well, the answer is not so “cut & dry”:
“Different organizations and programs have distinct definitions.”
Social Security Administration 62
Medicare 65
AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) 50+
Senior Discounts Varied, often 55+ or 60+”
https://101healthfacts.com/how-old-is-a-senior/
https://www.greatseniorliving.com/articles/senior-citizen-age
https://seniorsreports.com/senior-citizen-age-guide/
(BTW AARP age is 50+)
I’m 75 and I’m OK with being “old” and “elderly”. Sure, “elder” might be slightly more diplomatic. Yeah, I’d like to be a healthy 30-year-old forever, but that’s not in the cards. Meanwhile, I am grateful for every day of reasonable mobility and not much pain. I hope to live long enough to see if Donald John Trump, his acolytes, and supplicants really can destroy the United States of America, which meant everything to my family and which now imprisons and tortures desperate migrants.
I don’t buy into the characterization my peers use, like, “I’m old”. Once you adopt that there are all kinds of traps to fall into. I am ‘older’ yes. I think this is a reasonable parallel to elder and elderly. If you think you are “old” good luck!
I’m 78. Proudly old. Beats being dead, I say
Tis a Privilidge Denied to Many!
Many young people are not going to make it to “elderly”
Just don’t call me late for dinner.
You’re acting elderly right now
That is one of the privileges of Elders.
I pay my own way, I saved up my own pension, I own what I own.
In Humboldt, many vehicles contain both guns and ammunition.
Someone should have put that poor bear down before anybody tried to give it first aid…
An excellent lesson for the younger generations…
I hope the Elder who was hurt by the Bear lives on to educate his Grandchildren, if he is lucky enough to have any…
Was the man really petting the bear? Thats about as stupid a thing as anyone could do. This is a wild animal; strong and heavily armed. When its injured and in pain its guaranteed that it will attack anyone who gets close.
BTW, Im an animal lover of both wild and domestic animals and in general like animals one hell of a lot better than I do humans.
My sister and I actually were driving by this on our way back to the coast at that point there was an elderly woman standing behind the bear and then there was an elderly man I’m assuming the one that got bit was standing so close to the bear about his leg was basically touching his paw at this point the bear was sprawled out on the ground his head was moving and it looked like the bear was panting it did not look to be aggressive at that point but I mean I get the guy had good intentions but it’s like let’s face it this is a wild animal who just got struck by a vehicle and then when he tried to put the thing on his leg for a fracture which I don’t know why somebody would do that unless they’re like animal control or something I’m assuming what happened is it caused the bear more pain which put his Natural Instinct into play and he probably attacked the guy it’s really unfortunate but that was just super stupid Behavior like yeah make sure the Bears okay call somebody maybe give him some water but yeah they were both standing so close to the bear that I’m not surprised
Gosh, you don’t suppose that the unfortunate 75 year old man that was bitten by the badly wounded bear was attempting to apply a tourniquet on the bears open fracture because he was dutifully and reflexively doing as his wife was telling him to do, as may have been usual…???
That WOULD certainly explain “the man’s” irrational behavior…
As in…
“Oh, dear…!!!, Help the poor bear, Honey,…!!!
Hurry…!!!
Honeydew this, Honeydew that…!!!
The poor thing has got an open fracture, and it’s hemorrhaging…!!!
I can’t look…!!!
HURRY UP, STEADFAST COURAGE NOW, NO TIME TO WASTE, NOTHING TO FEAR…!!!
Funny, not funny…
Amazing he survived as long as he has being as stupid as he is.
Not the bear.
Hopefully the bear did not suffer much, and the old guy is okay. I am sure he had best intentions, but a wounded bear is dangerous. By the photo the bears injuries dont look survivable. Hopefully someone put him down if that is the case.
We watched this go down, the man and a woman were standing by the bear trying to divert traffic while they waited for help. The gentleman seemed like it wasn’t his first rodeo and said something about experience working with bears but was bitten shortly after when the bear got a sudden burst of strength. Him and the woman were standing way too close to the bear and were not respecting the animals space. An injured bear is an unpredictable bear. The bear sat in the road as bystanders helped slow down traffic and our friend called the ambulance. Cops showed up right before he was bitten. I really hope the man has a speedy recovery as he was definitely just trying to do the right thing and help the bear make it out alive.
O bear, what an ignoble place to die. A highway barrier. At ease, ursine soul, lumber off into the forest of your dreams.
The development of modern conveniences for man invariably creates inconvenient barriers for nature.
This sucks. I’m so sorry for all the beings involved.
Hopefully, they put the bear down quick. Hate to see animals suffer.
I read about a lot of stupid shit on the Interwebs, but trying to “help” an injured wild animal that can be dangerous on a normal day takes the prize for the month. What was that man thinking??? It’s no small wonder he wasn’t thoroughly mauled.
Too right, thanks for the laugh
We drove by just as the ambulance was arriving and the helicopter was circling over head. The injured man was lying on the ground with two police vehicles nearby and lots of people standing over him. The bear looked deceased at that point, laying with it’s back up against the k rail. It was a very large male. So so sad.
i find this discussion unbearable
How very sad. Poor bear and old man too I guess. I hope he wasn’t trying to help the bear. That would be pretty foolish.
Don’t poke the bear…
It’s a pita to log in today
You never approach a wounded animal.
Saddest photo ever RHBB.
We need to create crossovers for our wildlife.
DOT, please.
Yea like they will use those. Wild animals are known to use designated cross walks and neve ignore safety signs. ……… Really think your statement through….
To me the only question is whether people would decide it was worth the expense. Animals do use them. They’re “stupid” about certain things, but usually not about their survival. Word gets around among them, too… they sniff the trail and cross on the grassy, earthy, car-free bridge, following the other critters.
I am not positive of the statistics, but it seems perhaps the average wild mammal is a bit smarter than a South Broadway pedestrian… although we haven’t tried crossovers for them, either.
“ the average wild mammal is a bit smarter than a South Broadway pedestrian…”
I suppose I shouldn’t have laughed, but couldn’t help myself.
Sometimes I have a little trouble engaging my sympathy mode.
What do you mean? There are animal crosses signs all up and down the freeway, why didn’t the bear use one of those sections?
From my understand the elderly man was bitten when he tried to apply a tourniquet to the bear who had an open fracture
Stranger things have happened…
Oh…., Wait…!!!
Was he just following “orders”…???
This did not happen
Let me get this straight…
“A REACH helicopter was requested to respond to the scene but was later canceled.”
…because EMS finally realized, but didn’t realize at first, that it actually was the the wounded bear, (NOT the 75 year old “bystander” man), that had suffered the suspected compound fracture that had the tourniquet applied to it’s “extremity” by the 75 year old “bystander” man, that was, of course, predictably, then severely bitten by the bear as a result…???
Who da thunk it…???
I’d say stranger things have happened, but that might be a bit of a stretch…
The moral of the story is, when it comes to attempting to properly address a mortally wounded bear, NEVER, attempt to do so, “outside your scope”…
And that, proper communication is hard…
But what can we do besides just grin and bear it…???
Wishing a full and speedy recovery to the compassionate senior citizen…
At the elder’s age, one would think he would KNOW better to approach a wounded wild animal. I’m sorry he got bit, but dang, he SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER! And to the folks that complain about driving too fast, if they were doing the speed limit and yogi darted out in front of the vehicle, the driver would have had a choice of swerving (which could have cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle or drive into another vehicle, or even causing the vehicle going off the road and down the side of the hill. Traffic was moderately heavy on Sunday heading to the coast. Lesson to take from this? Don’t approach wildlife, especially a wounded one that more than likely out weighed the elder. CDFW Warden was on the scene when I passed by and fairly sure he dispatched the bear.
Trying to help a wounded bear is wildly dangerous, but it also speaks to a kind of raw, instinctive compassion that’s hard not to admire. The world needs fewer people who shrug and walk away, even if their courage occasionally outpaces their judgment. A fool with a kind heart still outranks a coward with none.
Saw an update on the LOCO stating that the man bitten by the bear was not driving a vehicle and that there was no evidence that the bear had ever been hit by a vehicle… so that was interesting….
That’s not exactly what was said or implied in the LoCO article. What was reported is that investigators can only speculate that the bear was injured in a vehicle collision because there’s no other plausible explanation—but also that no physical evidence was found on scene to confirm a vehicle was involved, and no one has come forward. Here’s the exact quote from CDFW’s Carsey:
“Carsey said investigators can only speculate that the bear was injured in the vehicle collision, adding that there “appears to be no other plausible mechanism of injury.””
“No physical evidence was located on scene to suggest a vehicle was involved, no leads were discovered to investigate, and no one has come forward to admit their involvement,” he said. “As such, we have closed our investigation into the incident.”
So the takeaway isn’t that a vehicle definitely wasn’t involved—just that there’s no direct evidence tying one to the incident, even though it remains the most likely explanation.
So, the takeaway also ISN’T that a vehicle definitely WAS involved…
“there was no evidence that the bear had ever been hit by a vehicle”
… IS EXACTLY what WAS implied…
(I saw that loco article also)
It also stated that the man “severely bitten”, was only bitten once…
…not to discount it’s severity…
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2025/jul/7/bear-update/
“He added that the man was only bitten once, not “multiple times,” as previously reported.”