Black Bear Killed By Truck On Hale Interchange In Greenfield

GREENFIELD, WI — A truck struck and killed a 250-pound black bear at the Hale Interchange in Greenfield at 1:09 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.

The truck was driving from north to east when it struck the black bear, according to a statement from Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office Director of Public Affairs James Burnett.

One lane was closed for about an hour after the crash as officials removed the bear and notified the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

No one was injured in the crash, according to the sheriff's office.

The collision early Wednesday came after a black bear sighting was recently reported in Franklin. It was not clear if the bears were the same.

SEE ALSO: Black Bear Spotted Near Franklin Business: Report

The incident early Wednesday followed an advisory by the state DNR that Wisconsinites should be "bear aware."

Most of Wisconsin's 24,000 black bears live in the northern part of the state, but prior to the sighting in Franklin Tuesday, bears had already been spotted as far south as Waukesha and Washington counties, according to the DNR.

Bear populations in the Badger State have slowly expanded south, the DNR said.

Sightings usually go up in early summer as young bears head out on their own for the first time, and many male bears wander looking for a mate, the DNR said.

If you have a complaint about a bear in southern Wisconsin, the DNR asked you to contact the USDA Wildlife Services toll free at 800-433-0663.