[LASD]–  A citizen called the  Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station Sunday at 7 a.m. to report that a brown bear been hit by a car near the intersection of Foothill Blvd. and Vineta Ave, just south of the 210 freeway in La Crescenta.

Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the location, but they were unable to locate the bear.

At about 1:00PM, approximately six hours later, Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies received a second call of a bear sighting.

The caller said that a bear was sitting under a tree, behind a coffee shop on Foothill Boulevard at Gould Avenue, in the city of La Canada Flintridge. She added that she had been watching the bear for a period of time and noticed that it was walking with a limp.

When deputies arrived, they saw the 150-200 pound bear retreat into the bushes, next to a freeway.

In an attempt to ensure the public and the bear’s safety, deputies immediately contacted the California Department of Fish and Game and continue to monitor the bear.

A California Department of Fish and Game Warden responded, located the bear, and shot it with a tranquilizer dart.

Meanwhile, for public safety reasons, sheriff’s deputies assisted in keeping onlookers from getting too close.

The bear climbed a tree at the intersection of Gould Ave. and the 210 freeway, prompting the California Highway Patrol to close the freeway for the safety of the motorists and the bear.

The bear was in the tree for about 30 minutes. After the tranquilizing drugs took effect, the bear came out of the tree and was safely secured by the Fish & Game wardens and removed from the area for examination.

Upon closer inspection of the bear, the wardens determined that the injuries sustained due to the vehicle collision were catastrophic. The bear was euthanized at about 4:00PM in order to end its suffering.

“No one at the Department of Fish and Game ever wants this to happen, but its injuries were too serious for it to survive naturally,” said Andrew Hughan, spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Game.