DANVILLE (TNS) — A bizarre situation unfolded when a bear attack took place inside a Montour County man’s garage. Fortunately, he lived to tell the tale, according to news sources.
It all happened when 60-year-old John Swartz and his wife, 59-year-old Lori, were at their home in Danville on Thursday evening, according to reports from North Central Pa. and Fox56.
Swartz was filling up a kiddie pool on the side of his house for his 2-year-old granddaughter, and once the pool was filled, he walked into his garage to turn off the hose.
The shut-off valve for the water was a few feet inside the garage, while the hose closure was farther away. To save himself a few steps, he turned off the water at the valve, according to North Central Pa.
But it was dark, and he didn’t realize that a bear had come into the open garage due to a garbage bag and was at his feet.
The squeak of the valve startled the bear and Swartz stumbled upon the intruder in the dark.
“My head hurt and it knocked me against the wall. … I didn’t realize I fell over the bear and continued down the sidewalk holding my head and continued into the house to retrieve a washcloth. I knew I had injuries and I had blood coming down,” Swartz said to Fox56.
As the bear made a quick getaway, Swartz, now bloodied from the attack, ran into his living room and met his wife, who called 911 and tried to cover the wound.
The bear bit Swartz on top of his head, according to reports.
“We’ll never forget. It was horrible, but we’re lucky that it’s all that happened. He has a couple of wounds, but they’ll heal,” Lori said to Fox56.
Swartz was taken to Geisinger Medical Center and received treatment for the bite marks and a tetanus shot to avoid diseases the bear might have.
{p class=”krtText”}State troopers responded to the scene and a Pennsylvania Game Commission officer set up a bear trap to try and capture the animal. So far, no bears have been caught.
{p class=”krtText”}Despite the painful attack, Swartz doesn’t want the animal to be put down.
{p class=”krtText”}“It’s very understandable as to why it did what it did. … It had one way out and it was through me,” Swartz said to Fox56.
{p class=”krtText”}©2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit pennlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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