Morgan resident Rod Myers said he passed a black bear shortly after it had been hit on I-80 in northern Summit County.
“The vehicle that hit it was gone,” he said.
Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Chris Bishop said the incident occurred between Wanship and Coalville, but the Division of Wildlife Resources responded.
It’s not considered criminal if vehicles accidentally hit wildlife.
"As long as it isn’t intentional there would not be charges,” DWR Lt. Chad Bettridge said.
According to Myers, a truck with yellow flashing lights had pulled the dead bear to the side of the road and was cleaning up the scene.
“You see everything else but—I have seen moose as well—but a bear is rare,” Myers said. “And it was small; it wasn’t a very large animal.”
There have been a series of bear sightings in the Park City area recently. Colony resident Josh Tarter sent KPCW a video of a black bear outside his home over the weekend, near the Flat Iron lift.
DWR spokesperson Scott Root said the bear struck on I-80 had an ear tag indicating it was originally from DWR's northern region, above I-80. It's not clear if it was the same animal caught on camera earlier in the month.
The DWR says Utah only has black bears, not grizzlies, which are more aggressive.
Still, humans should take measures to avoid potentially dangerous confrontations with black bears. Those include packing away food and scented items when outdoors and keeping cooking areas clean.
According to the DWR, everything from birdfeeders to compost piles, beehives, pets, pet food and barbecue grills can attract bears to your home.
Anyone who encounters a black bear should not play dead or flee. Stand your ground, make yourself bigger and make noise before backing away slowly.
If it does attack, DWR recommends fighting back, as people have successfully defended themselves from black bears.
DWR has a roadkill reporter app where motorists can report wildlife-vehicle collisions. Click here to download.
