LA Black Bear Killed In Vehicle Crash

Authorities in Mississippi say a record-size Louisiana black bear was killed in a collision with a vehicle in Wilkinson County. 

Rosa Robinson of Woodville stuck the bear going southbound on U. S. 61 in her 2001 Chevy Suburban wagon.

The Natchez Democrat reported she fatally struck the full-grown male bear on April 5.  No other serious injuries were reported.  Official say the bear weighed 468, making it the largest ever recorded in Mississippi.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Black Bear Program leader Richard Rummel says the bear's body is currently being stored in a freezer at the Mississippi Museum of Natural History in Jackson, MS.

Rummel says the department is currently evaluating the preservation of the bear, but it will eventually be used for education purposes.

Officials say the bear was in excellent condition when it died, so a full-mount of the bear might be possible.