Bear pulled the driver’s body out of the vehicle after he died in a car accident

A bear is believed to have dragged a man’s body from his car after an accident.

On Sunday, May 5, Daniel Ducharme lost control of his car and landed in an embankment on Route 91 in Hatfield, Massachusetts.

It is believed the 31-year-old man died in the ordeal and was either “fully or partially ejected” from his 2016 Honda Civic upon impact.

When police arrived at the scene after a concerned passerby spotted the vehicle and called authorities around 11 a.m., a deceased Ducharme was outside the “severely damaged” car.

It is believed that a bear spotted near the wreckage may have dragged Ducharme’s body from the vehicle.

“When first responders arrived on the scene, the deceased male occupant was outside the car and a bear was observed in the woods near the scene,” state police said in a statement.

“There is evidence that the bear had contact with the victim’s body at some point.”

When police arrived at the scene, the bear took off.

A man was killed in a car accident in Hatfield, Massachusetts on Sunday. (CBS Boston)

There are reportedly around 4,500 black bears in the Hatfield area, many of which are coming out of hibernation.

Following the Ducharme crash and reports of a bear coming into contact with the deceased man, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs confirmed that a black bear had been euthanized in Hatfield.

“Massachusetts Environmental Police and MassWildlife euthanized a bear in Hatfield. There is no threat to public safety,” the government agency said in a statement, according to Western Mass News.

According to the news outlet, police deleted their first report of bear involvement after the crash.

UNILAD has reached out to Massachusetts State Police for comment.

There are approximately 4,500 black bears in the Hatfield region. (mlorenzphotography/Getty Stock)

It is estimated that there are at least 600,000 black bears in North America, but wildlife experts insist the large animals only attack people when provoked.

To avoid encountering a bear, the National Parks Service (NPS) says, “Keeping your distance and not surprising bears are among the most important things you can do.”

It continues: “Most bears avoid people when they hear them coming. Be aware of your surroundings and take special care to stand out if you are in an area with known bear activity or a good food source such as berry bushes.”

When it comes to black bears, NPS says you shouldn’t play dead, as you would if you were attacked by a brown bear.

“Try to escape to a safe place like a car or a building. If escape is not possible, attempt to defend yourself with any object available,” it says.

“Concentrate your kicks and punches on the bear’s face and muzzle.”

Of the thousands of bears in the U.S., they reportedly kill an average of fewer than one person per year, according to the North American Bear Center.

Topics: News, US News, Animals