Black bear killed by van on I-26

Staff report
Thursday, June 19, 2008


A van hit and killed a black bear that ran onto eastbound Interstate 26 between Jedburg and Summerville on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

A Ridgeville man driving the 2000 van was unhurt in the 3:45 p.m. collision near mile marker 196, said Lance Cpl. Bob Beres of the Highway Patrol. The man was able to drive away.

The black bear weighed about 150 pounds and probably was younger than 2 years old, said Sam Chappelear, a Department of Natural Resources regional wildlife coordinator for the coast. Chappelear said sightings of black bears are not uncommon in the area.



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Comments

This article has  35 comment(s)

Posted by hardatwork on June 19, 2008 at 6:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Black Bear not uncommon. I live near the swamp in Dorchester County, spent a lot of time in the woods (hunting and fishing). I have never seen a black bear. WOW!



Posted by grannyofsix on June 19, 2008 at 8:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

to bad Boo Boo wasnt with him could have saved his life



Posted by carolinamommyof4 on June 19, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

My father in law has seen them around the Dorchester and Four Hole Swamps. His theory is that they use that as a path to get where they are going during migrating or mating season. He doesn't think they stay here which is why he seldom sees them.

He also swears to have seen cougars.



Posted by LadyTarHeel on June 19, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

carolinamommy: Your father-in-law quite possibly did see a cougar. My grandfater tells me that they tend to live around swampy areas in the Carolinas. I've seen them back home in rural southern (practically in South Carolina) North Carolina.

They said the bear was probably less than 2 years old, whose to say that he wasn't Boo Boo and Yogi had already made it across? :o)



Posted by theronce on June 19, 2008 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I saw a tawny brown cougar on Highway 61 between Givhans and Highway 17 about 15 years ago. It only needed a few strides to leap from ditch to ditch on either side of the highway. It faced where it was headed and the tail was stretched out as it leapt. I swear, nose to tail, it must have been 8 or 9 feet long...huge. Stone, cold sober in the middle of the afternoon, I was, and I had a passenger who also saw it.



Posted by drp7773 on June 19, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow what a bad way to get a beer skin rug.



Posted by konphidence on June 19, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

allwoman.....LMAO!!!!!!!! we are becoming a 'Threatened Species'....... inside joke not be repeated by "others" PC rules apply.



Posted by JDHawg on June 19, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I hope the NAACP doesn't get involved since it was a black bear.



Posted by summerville_guy on June 19, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think we should put out signs written in bear language so that the bears will know not to cross the street. It is not fair that only English-speaking people



Posted by summerville_guy on June 19, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

(continued)...get to read the signs!



Posted by auger on June 19, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Cougars are quite common around here. I have one in my driveway as I write this.



Posted by auger on June 19, 2008 at 10:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

allwoman,

No, this cougar would offer no resistance. Its been pretty passive ever since gas passed $3 a gallon.

What I want to know is what was this bear child doing out alone? Is this another case of the mom strung out on honey and the dad not in the picture? Even worse, I believe that honey is WIC approved!



Posted by summerville_guy on June 19, 2008 at 10:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am just so sick of reading about this van-on-black crime. When will it stop?!?



Posted by auger on June 19, 2008 at 10:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

summerville_guy,

Notice that they didn't reveal the color of the van.....



Posted by YogiBear on June 19, 2008 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I am shocked and saddened by the comments that I am reading today. Do none of you have a heart? Can not one of you show some compassion?

BooBoo was my life long friend. Yes, he was young, he was rambunctious and he was black, but he did not deserve to die this way. Do all of you think that every young, black bear is a criminal, not worthy of having a life?

BooBoo struggled as a younger child. He broke a few laws, as did I, and he paid his debt to society for breaking those laws. Is stealing a pic-i-nic basket really deserving of death?

There was a time when we black bears owned this area. We used to run and frolic, collecting honey, fruit and flowers all day long. Then you people had to move here. People moving to the low country from elsewhere have ruined everything. First you built roads and put cars on them that drive WAY too fast. Then, just last year, you put that silly metal wiring running down the median of the road so that we have to jump in order to cross the road. BooBoo enjoyed climbing over the wire separator, but do you know how long it’s been since I jumped! I’m not a spring chicken anymore. My tie got caught in the wire rung one time and I dang near hung myself!

BooBoo and I were collecting wild flowers and we smelled honey. The wind was carrying the smell from across the highway. I didn’t want to cross, but BooBoo insisted. We waited in the brush until traffic was clear and then we darted across the road. My hat fell off and I stopped to pick it up. BooBoo kept going. Just as he got in to the middle of the road, this speeding van came barreling down the highway. I could not look. BooBoo was gone. Forever. My only friend is gone. I have nothing left to live for now. You cannot find a pic-i-nic basket or a bee hive for one. I sit and I eat, looking at what would have been BooBoo’s share. I cry. I finally stopped crying long enough to read the paper... only to see these cruel remarks. I cannot bear to go on.



Posted by charlene68 on June 19, 2008 at 11:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

some people have a sense of humor like a lamp post !!!



Posted by jca on June 19, 2008 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

the more and more the forests are wiped out to build new homes and shopping centers the more of these wild animals you will see. the wild creatures are losing their homes to build us plush new ones

glad no one but the bear was harmed



Posted by YogiBear on June 19, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

That Smokey is nothing but a goodie-two-shoe. I can't stand to be around him! I cannot count the number of times I've been at my den at night, relaxing in front of a warm camp fire when in comes Smokey, dousing my fire and raising hell about squirrel safety and other BS! Besides, he's another male bear. This ain't the California woods sweetie!



Posted by Tammie on June 19, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Y'all are awful...lol



Posted by Girleygirl on June 19, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Yall are too funny...

Me and Allwoman are going to be hogtied from the brokeback cowboy that needs Rare counseling....oooh I'm scared....lol

Poor bear, poor Yogi, poor Snuggle, poor polar bear, poor Coke-cola bear, poor Charmin bear. This is sad for the bear family!

But then again you never know what you may see between Jedburg and Summerville. I have a friend that hit a bull in the road almost 2 years ago in that same area. Yes I said bull.



Posted by proudmomma on June 19, 2008 at 12:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I was thinking that too, Early!

Thanks for the laughs this morning. All of the other stories' posts are angry and depressing!



Posted by oldglory on June 19, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

YogiB, nice tale--or is that tail, anyway I loved it.

When will you do a 'reveal' for us?



Posted by Tammie on June 19, 2008 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Squirrel safety..lmao!!!

Yogi, my condolences...*bear hug*



Posted by grannyofsix on June 19, 2008 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

you guys ar ejust too funny I love it



Posted by dreamer on June 19, 2008 at 1:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

that's what a needed today...thanks for the laughs



Posted by drp7773 on June 19, 2008 at 2:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'll bet boo boo needed more then 2 sheets of charmin when he seen how close that car was....



Posted by DaisyMae on June 19, 2008 at 2:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Y'all are hilarious. I usually just read these comments and posts. Today, however, you have outdone yourselves.



Posted by geekguy2008 on June 19, 2008 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Where the hell is Grizzly Adams when we need him? >:-(



Posted by LadyTarHeel on June 19, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hey...where did allwoman's posts go?



Posted by RTC on June 19, 2008 at 5:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ya'll are all wrong. It was a Care Bear. The one with the little heart that beats no more.
This brings me to tears I tell you.



Posted by Siri on June 19, 2008 at 7:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't care who ya are that wuz funny right thar.



Posted by redandwhite_85 on June 19, 2008 at 8:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Be careful what you say about the bear or the person who killed it, you might get in trouble. And I thought all bears where in the mountains not in a city. WOW a bear in summerville. We are talking the furry little creatures right?
I did read it right I hope? I dont want to look stupid.



Posted by redandwhite_85 on June 19, 2008 at 8:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I see allwomens post wasnt the only ones taken from ALL the post and news stories



Posted by KDB4 on June 20, 2008 at 12:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

drp7773, charmin, tooooo funny, lol



Posted by KDB4 on June 20, 2008 at 12:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

is the post c going to release the bear's name? .