After investigating the accident, the car was determined to be “totaled” and had to be towed away.
Grizzly 399 died instantly, according to the Lieutenant.
“They got out and looked at the animal,” Stetzenbach said. “It was clearly deceased.”
The fatal collision happened to the west in Lincoln County. Specifically, Grizzly 399 was struck near mile marker 126, which is roughly 8 miles from Alpine, according to Stetzenbach.
“The bear entered into his lane of travel,” he said of the driver, “and he was unable to avoid the bear.”
During the investion into the beloved bruin, numerous agencies from around Wyoming, and the country, got involved: Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“There’s no shortage of animal lovers out there,” Stetzenbach said. “This truly was an accident.”
Law enforcement will not release the driver’s identity or tell where he was commuting from.
“We’re trying to protect that individual,” he added. “We don’t want that person to be harassed.”
Since 399’s death became public, numerous people have called the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office inquiring about whether the motorist was ticketed.
“The answer is no, they were not ticketed,” the lieutenant said. “Why not? Because it was an accident. The investigation shows it was an accident. There’s no excess speed involved. There’s no carelessness on the part of the driver.”
