Man Survives Attack by Black Bear in California Foothills While on a Run

Mar. 15, 2025

Stock image of black bear.Photo:Getty

Getty

The bear reportedly chased the jogger up an embankment where she continued to charge him.

“The man picked up large stick and hit the bear on the head and tried to seek protection from the bear behind a tree,” a department spokesperson told PEOPLE.

Stock image of a black bear.Getty

The man then made his way to a residential area where he climbed on top of a vehicle as the bear attacked him while he was on the car.

“The owner of the residence where the vehicle was parked heard the commotion out front. She looked out front and observed the man on top of her car with a bear next to the vehicle,” the spokesperson said. “The homeowner yelled at the bear and made noise, causing the bear to run away. She then called 911.”

Officials say the man is in stable condition, but suffered injuries to his back, side and legs. The man was treated for his injuries at Adventist Health in Sonora, Calif.

In an interview withCBS, homeowner Heather Silfies said she saw the man looking disheveled as he ran from the bear.

“I see this young man running down the road and a bear literally chasing and biting at him, and his shirt flapping in the wind. It was just shredded and he didn’t have one of his shoes on all the way, so he’s literally running with the shoe not on,” she shared.

Silfies continued to detail what she saw of the shocking attack.

“The young man is standing on the roof of our Escalade. The bear is standing at the Escalade and she’s trying to climb up. So she has her foot on the running board and she’s literally jumping up at him, wanting to get on the roof, just wanting to attack him,” she added.

As of now, officers have obtained DNA samples for the bear from the incident scene and the victim.

They are still trying to capture the bear.

On Wednesday, Aug. 14, local outletUnion Democratreported that a CDW spokesperson said that the bear will be euthanized if located.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

TheCDW websitestates that black bear encounters rarely result in human injury in the state. Most attacks are brought on in defense, such as if a bear is protecting a cub. Other situations of aggression can be caused if a bear becomes conditioned to human food.

source: people.com