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Yesterday, the Hollis Police Department in southern New Hampshire issued a press release. On Sunday evening around 6:15 pm, police responded to a single-car accident. Unfortunately, the driver struck a large animal. Upon arrival, officers inspected a local black bear lying on the ground and determined it died from the collision. To add to the chaotic scene, when police spoke to the driver, they noticed something wasn’t quite right.

Per the department’s press release, the 30-year-old driver showed signs of impairment. Ultimately, his alleged Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) tested at .17. This is slightly more than twice the legal limit. Police charged the man with an open container violation in addition to aggravated DUI and “standard” DUI.

The department explained that the aggravated DUI came after his elevated BAC. Police didn’t mention the bear in any of the charges.

The driver made bail and called for a ride home. When his ride arrived, though, the department determined the 29-year-old driver operated a vehicle on a suspended license. The car also had suspended registrations. Authorities issued a summons, charging her with Driving After Revocation/Suspension and Suspension of Vehicle Registration.

New Hampshire has close to 5,000 black bears roaming its landscape. The state’s Fish and Game Department says that vehicle collisions are its black bear population’s second leading cause of death. “The shooting of female bears by homeowners in conflict with poultry” is the most common cause of cub orphaning, though. Between 10 and 20 black bear cubs become orphans every year from homeowner incidents.

When it comes to quick decision-making when a wild animal crosses in front of your car, things can get a bit watery. It’s true that in general, you shouldn’t swerve or make sudden, dangerous moves to avoid animals. Doing so could cause worse damage or injury to yourself and others. However, if a large animal crosses in front of you and you have enough space to safely slow down, you might do so.

Without the details of the collision, it’s hard to say if this driver’s impairment interfered with his ability to avoid the bear.

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Sarah Kennedy

Sarah Kennedy is the Editor-in-Chief of MotorBiscuit. She joined the team as Managing Editor in 2021 and has more than 20 years of automotive and operations expertise. She held ASE certifications as an Automotive Service Consultant and Parts Specialist and was a licensed car salesperson for many years. Sarah often focuses on helping drivers navigate used car buying and vehicle ownership. She created “Shop Smarts,” a column for MOTOR Magazine, and was a contributor there for eight years. Her work earned her a Gold Medalist award from the American Society of Business Publication Editors in 2014 and Bronze Medalist awards from the International Automotive Media Competition in 2014 and 2015. She attended the Automotive Management Institute and earned her bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University.

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