A bear was euthanized following a fatal crash in Hatfield on Sunday because officials were concerned about a potential change in behavior for the animal after it “made contact” with a man who was killed in the crash.
The bear’s “potential change in behavior towards people” prompted MassWildlife and Massachusetts Environmental Police to euthanize the animal out of an “abundance of caution.” The euthanized bear was found near the scene and fit the description of the animal that contacted the body of Daniel Ducharme, the man killed in the crash, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs said.
— Read more: Bear euthanized after Hatfield crash out of ‘abundance of caution,’ officials say
