Bear Dies After Being Hit by Pickup Truck in Central Ohio
RICHLAND COUNTY, OHIO — A bear died Saturday morning after being struck by a pickup truck on state Route 546 near Black Road in Perry Township. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the incident occurred when a 2021 Dodge Ram pickup truck pulling a livestock trailer was traveling north on state Route 546. The bear entered the road and was hit by the truck.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources was contacted, and due to the severity of its injuries, the bear was euthanized at the scene. Fortunately, the driver of the Dodge Ram was not injured in the crash.
This incident comes after multiple sightings of a black bear across central Ohio last week. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) confirmed that a bear was spotted in Licking County on June 10 for the first time in over 20 years. Similar sightings were reported in Delaware and Morrow counties a couple of days later. ODNR believes the bear spotted in Licking County might be the same one seen in Morrow County.
As of now, it remains unclear whether the bear involved in the crash was the same one spotted in central Ohio. WTOL reached out to ODNR for confirmation on this matter.
The incident highlights the increasing presence of wildlife in areas where they haven’t been seen for decades, raising awareness among local residents and drivers to be cautious on the roads, especially in areas known to have wildlife activity.
