May 30, 2008 5:42 pm US/Eastern
Police Kill Bear Roaming Worcester Neighborhood
WORCESTER (WBZ) ―
A black bear wandered into a residential neighborhood about a mile from downtown Worcester early today, startling neighbors and causing a commotion during the morning commute.
The State Police Air Wing and a ladder truck were brought in for spotting as troopers, Worcester and Environmental Police ran up an on-ramp to I-290-east from Hope Avenue and closed in on the black bear believed to be the same one spotted in Grafton and Millbury over the past couple of weeks.
Elizabeth Brennan said the dogs in her yard stopped barking when the bear showed up accross Evers Street from her home about 6:45 a.m.
"It was scary, exciting and scary, explained Brennan, "I certainly didn't need any coffee this morning before work."
Henry Merchant said he too was scared and nervous, "I just called 911 and I was stuttering, I guess."
Merchant saw the bear go through his yard on Dighton Street. Around the corner, Don Packard found tracks in his yard and a spot where the bear appeared to have tried clawing its way under a cyclone fence.
He said one of the tracks was more distinct than the others, "I just put some plaster of paris in there so I could save it," said Packard.
Unfortunately, Environmental police could not save the black bear which they say was male, about 2 years old and weighed more than 200 pounds. They tried unsuccessfully to "tree" the bear and safely traquilize it.
Lt. John Pajak said it was a difficult set of circumstances in a wodded cloverleaf next to Route 290 and, "tranquilizing a bear on the ground in an area like this could cause a motor vehicle accident or serious circumstances in the neighborhood with a bear under the influence of drugs running around."
Environmental police say because of the bear's age and normal behavior of the species, they believe he was traveling alone and there are no other bears around here, for now. T
hey also believe the animal probably came from somewhere in the Blackstone Valley and followed a fence line north alongside route 290.
They said the meat was being donated to a sportsman's club that has game dinners to benefit local charities.
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