Driver hit Grizzly 399 while going speed limit

The man who struck and killed Grizzly 399 while commuting home from Jackson on Tuesday night was driving at around the speed limit of 55 mph, law enforcement officials said Thursday.

Those details about the Snake River Canyon accident that pulled at heartstrings around Wyoming and the world come from a crash investigation relayed by Lincoln County Sheriff's Patrol Lt. John Stetzenbach.  

"Looking at the crash itself, the size of the bear and the damage that was done to the vehicle, [the investigation] indicated that he was probably traveling at the posted rate of speed," Stetzenbach told WyoFile. "In other words, he was not speeding." 

The collision was severe enough that the vehicle was rendered inoperable. After the nighttime accident, which occurred at about 10:30, the motorist went to see what they hit. 

"They got out and looked at the animal," Stetzenbach said. "It was clearly deceased." 

The Jackson Hole News&Guide reported that grizzlies, including 399 on Monday night, have been active in the Snake River Canyon recently. Sightings reported by the newspaper have taken place nearer the Teton County side of the thoroughfare paralleling the Snake River, roughly 5 miles or so from Hoback Junction.

The fatal collision, however, occurred well to the west in Lincoln County. Specifically, Grizzly 399 was struck near mile marker 126, which is roughly 8 miles from Alpine, according to Stetzenbach. 

"The bear entered into his lane of travel," he said of the driver, "and he was unable to avoid the bear." 

Reports of bears in the highway corridor had come through to Lincoln County deputies earlier in the night, Stetzenbach said. 

"Someone who had observed ... a bear in the roadway prior to [the crash] had called and said that there are animals in the road," he said. 

The lieutenant was not sure what time that report came through, nor did he know if authorities responded to it. 

The collision was catastrophic for both the 28-year-old world-famous bruin and the vehicle, a passenger car that had to be towed away.

In the aftermath of the initial deputy response, an array of agencies became involved: Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Stetzenbach declined to say where the motorist resides though he was commuting toward Star Valley. It's for the best, the lieutenant said, that the man's identity does not get disseminated.

"There's no shortage of animal lovers out there," Stetzenbach said. "This truly was an accident." 

"We're trying to protect that individual," he added. "We don't want that person to be harassed."

Since 399's death became public, numerous people have called the  Lincoln County Sheriff's Office inquiring about whether the motorist was ticketed. 

"The answer is no, they were not ticketed," the lieutenant said. "Why not? Because it was an accident. The investigation shows it was an accident. There's no excess speed involved. There's no carelessness on the part of the driver."

WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.