Car slams into bear in New Hampshire, cops say. 20-year-old killed while checking damage

A 20-year-old from New Hampshire was fatally struck by a car following a separate collision with a bear, police said.

A 17-year-old was driving a Ford Focus on a rural road along the Connecticut River at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, when she struck a bear crossing the road, according to the Charlestown Police Department. Another 17-year-old and 20-year-old were also in the car, police said.

The trio then got out of the stopped car, which was significantly damaged, to assess the scene, according to police.

While one of the passengers, a 20-year-old man from North Walpole, was standing in the road, an oncoming Volvo struck him and the Ford Focus, police said. The man died at the scene.

The female driver of the Ford Focus sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital, police said.

The names of the people involved have not yet been released, according to police.

Following a car accident, drivers should move the vehicle to the shoulder, if possible, and all passengers should stay out of traffic, according to defensive driving experts.

Another car accident involving a bear in New Hampshire happened last month, according to WMUR. A female bear was struck and killed along the Maine border; it’s cub was then rescued and brought to a rehabilitation center.

There are estimated to be between 4,800 to 5,000 black bears in New Hampshire. No other bear species lives in the state, according to the state’s Fish and Game Department.

This story was originally published October 21, 2022 at 12:17 PM with the headline "Car slams into bear in New Hampshire, cops say. 20-year-old killed while checking damage."