A Massachusetts driver hit and killed a black bear in New Hampshire over the weekend, and was charged with a DUI once authorities arrived on scene.
According to CBS News, the driver in question is 30 year-old Timothy Harrigan. Harrigan is from Leicester, Massachusetts, and hit the bear at about 6:15 PM on Sunday. The collision occurred on Broad Street, near Pine Hill Road in Hollis. while Harrigan was not reported to have been harmed, the bear was found dead on scene by first responders.
The DUI charge was handed out by authorities after detecting signs of impairment when speaking with Harrigan on scene. Upon further investigation, it was found that Harrigan's blood alcohol content was .17 on Sunday evening. Such is over double the legal limit to drive, which is .08. Harrigan was eventually charged with DUI aggravated, DUI and an open container violation.
Notably, a Nashua woman arrived at the station to give Harrigan a ride home. Upon her arrival to the station, she was found to have been driving with a suspended license and registration.
Massachusetts Man Charged With DUI After Killing New Hampshire Bear In Crash
The bear's death is certainly not something to be passed over without mentioning. According to the state's Fish and Game Department, New Hampshire is home to somewhere between 4,800 and 5,000 bears. Most of those bears are in their dens, and beginning their hibernation through the winter by mid-October, through late November. With such being the standard, this bear's death is rather unfortunate, as the critter was presumably headed to hibernate in the coming weeks, if not days.
Despite plenty of focus in the state on the risks of black bears crossing roads, plenty of bears and drivers continue to have run-ins each year. Reportedly, car accidents are the second highest cause of death for New Hampshire's black bears. That statistic was pulled from a 2015 black bear assessment, conducted by New Hampshire's Fish and Game Department.
Regardless of the number of bears in the area, drunk driving is the culprit of this story. Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is dangerous for the drivers themselves, as well as those they pass on the road.
