GATLINBURG, Tenn. — A Sevier County woman got a messy and costly reminder about the hazards of living in black bear country.
Julie Cecere was woken up early Monday morning by her mother with some surprising news. There was a bear in her car!
Her mother heard the horn honking and looked outside to see what was going on and couldn't believe her eyes!
The bear was clearly visible through the car's windshield, which was parked in the carport outside the house.
Bears can open car doors, so it's likely it got the door open but then the door shut behind it, closing it in.
There was no food in the car, but there was a reusable shopping bag and some breath mints, so maybe that attracted it. Or maybe it was just curious and knew from experience that tasty goodies are sometimes left inside vehicles.
Regardless, the bear was stuck inside and unable to get out. At one point in the video, it can be seen pawing at the window.
The family called police because they have more experience dealing with bears, and an officer arrived to open the back door to let the bear out.
Turns out, as big as the bear looked inside the car, it was actually a cub or yearling that immediately ran up the nearest tree.
The officer did use the sound of his Taser to scare the bear away from the home and it eventually ran off into the woods.
"Waking up to find a bear stuck in my car was surreal. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry! As far as the bear is concerned, I'm extremely thankful that it was okay!" she said. " And as for the car, I'm glad I'm fully insured!"
The bear pretty much ripped the inside of the car to pieces and even used the bathroom inside.
It's a great reminder to never leave food in your vehicle and to always lock it.
"We share our neighborhoods and mountains with all the animals around us. We can help protect both them and ourselves by keeping our homes, cars, and trash locked up," she said.
Cecere is the daughter of Al Cecere, who founded the American Eagle Foundation and made a career out of rescuing and educating the public about large birds of prey. His daughter also worked with him over the years.