Bear Struck, Killed on I-84 in Newtown

NEWTOWN, CT -- An 80-pound bear was struck and killed by a vehicle on Interstate 84 in Newtown on Saturday, the New Haven Register is reporting.

The animal was hit between Exits 9 and 10 on the westbound side of the highway. The incident was reported to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Conservation by (DEEP) the state police shortly after 7 p.m.

According to DEEP, there were 125 sightings of black bears in Newtown between July 9, 2017 and May 21 of this year. Adult males can weigh up to 450 pounds, and the rapid increase in the bear population between the 1980s and early 2000s is expected to continue.