Car Strikes A Bear In Marion

MARION, MA — Chief Brian Jackvony reports that the Marion Fire Department responded to a crash Thursday morning after a car struck a bear on the highway.

Firefighters found a private medical transport van on the side of Interstate 195 westbound, by the route 105 exit with substantial damage. According to the press release, the two people inside the van were not injured, but reported hitting a black bear that sent the van into the woods. They say the bear got up and ran into the woods.

Multiple towns across the south shore have reported bear sightings in the last few weeks, with sightings more recently reported by Abington, Kingston, and Wareham indicating that the bear could be moving south.

So many sightings have been reported recently that several south shore police departments have given this bear a name when they would issue the warnings, calling the bear, "Boo-Boo."

The bear even has its own Facebook page.

"Boo-Boo" was reportedly seen just a town over in Wareham days ago, and the Wareham Department of Natural Resources took to Facebook in two posts letting residents know there were reports of a black bear sighting and that it was most likely "Boo-Boo."

It is unclear if the bear that was hit by the van was actually "Boo-Boo."