Bear Drags Man's Body After Fatal Car Crash in Massachusetts

A man who was found outside his car after a fatal single-vehicle crash in Massachusetts on Sunday was likely already dead when a bear dragged his body, according to state police.

A man who was found outside his car after a fatal single-vehicle crash in Massachusetts on Sunday was likely already dead when a bear dragged his body, according to state police.

First responders found the man outside of the car in Hatfield on Sunday morning and saw a bear in the woods nearby, Dave Procopio, a spokesperson for the state police, said in a statement.

"Evidence suggests the bear at some point had made contact with the victim's body," he said. The animal left when first responders went to the scene.

A preliminary investigation suggests that earlier that day, the driver, Daniel Ducharme, 31, of South Hadley, was traveling south on Route 91 when he lost control of the car, struck the guardrail multiple times, went down an embankment, and struck several trees in the woods. No one else was in the car.

"Evidence and observations at the scene suggest that the man was most likely deceased as a result of the crash," Procopio said, and he was at least partially ejected from the car.

Ducharme's body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy to determine his cause of death.

The crash is still under investigation, and state police are working to determine if any criminal charges will be filed.

Fatal car accidents are relatively common in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 42,915 traffic fatalities in 2021, up from 39,107 in 2020.

Bears are also relatively common in Massachusetts, with an estimated population of 4,000 to 5,000 black bears. While bear attacks on humans are rare, they do occur. In 2019, a woman was killed by a bear in Worcester County.

Experts recommend that people who live in bear country take precautions to avoid encounters with the animals, such as storing food properly, keeping garbage cans closed, and avoiding areas where bears are known to be active.

If you do encounter a bear, stay calm and do not approach it. Slowly back away from the bear, and make noise to let it know you are there. If the bear charges, fight back with anything you can find, including rocks, sticks, or even your bare hands.