Two Men Hospitalized after Crashing into Black Bear in Central New York

Police are investigating a scary incident involving a black bear rushing in front of a moving car.

Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol announced two men had to be taken to the hospital after their car struck a black bear on State Route 12 in Boonville.

Sheriff Maciol said the bear "unexpectedly" came onto the road and was struck by a Volvo sedan driven by 24-year-old George Franco, of Albany.

"Franco was unable to avoid the bear, causing heavy front-end damage to the vehicle," the sheriff reported.

The car's airbags deployed and the force of the impact caused neck and chest pain to both Franco and his passenger, 35-year-old Bernardo Rosario-Gonzales, of Halfmoon.

The pair were taken to Lewis County General Hospital.

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Sheriff Maciol said police didn't issue any citations. Several departments responded to the scene of the crash, including New York State Police, Boonville's fire department and ambulance, as well as Grower's Collision & Towing of Boonville.

Here's the report below:

No information was provided on the condition of the bear and WIBX has reached out for clarification.

However, due to the described damage of the vehicle, it is likely the bear didn't make it. The speed limit on State Route 12 in the town is 40 miles per hour and it can take up to 120 feet for a car to come to a complete stop at that speed.

It's estimated there's roughly 8,000 black bears in New York. Now that the bears are active, residents are encouraged to remove any potential food sources for these creatures so they maintain a healthy fear of humans and stay away from populated areas.

Black bears can grow up to six feet in length and can weigh up to 550 pounds if they're male and females, called sows, can tip the scales at 300 pounds.