Bear hit by car in La Cañada is euthanized

A bear hit by a car in La Cañada Flintridge early Sunday and showed up later near a Starbucks coffee shop has been euthanized, according to officials.

California Department of Fish and Game spokesman Andrew Hughan said the bear was euthanized at around 4 p.m.

“Upon examination, it was determined that the bear’s injuries from the vehicle collision were catastrophic, and the bear was euthanized,” Hughan said.

The car accident happened at about 7 a.m. near the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Vineta Avenue, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The driver was not hurt and the bear climbed a fence and headed into the bushes before authorities arrived, Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Sgt. Cynthia Gonzales said.

Shortly after 1 p.m., the bear was spotted a few blocks away, in the bushes between the Foothill (210) Freeway and the Starbucks in the shopping center at Gould Avenue and Foothill.

Witnesses did not report seeing any tags on the bear, suggesting it is not the Crescenta Valley regular known as “Glenbearian” or “Meatball,” or any other bear that previously has been captured and returned to the Angeles National Forest.

-- Joshua Cox and Carol Cormaci, Times Community News