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Bear knocks motorcyclist off of his bike OLD GLENN HIGHWAY: Vehicle is totaled; driver doesn't seem to have serious injuries. By ALEXANDRA BERZONAnchorage Daily News Published: August 9th, 2005 Last Modified: August 9th, 2005 at 06:57 PM A motorcyclist riding southbound on the Old Glenn Highway early Monday evening was hit by a bear running across the road. Garrett Edgmon of Anchorage was between Miles 1 and 2 of the Old Glenn Highway about 6 p.m. when a bear ran across the road and smacked into the side of his motorcycle, according to Alaska State Trooper Mitch Lewis. Edgmon was travelling about 45 mph at the time.Edgmon suffered injuries that did not appear serious but was taken to the hospital.The accident occurred in a section of the highway where there is a small cliff and a forest of trees that meets the road, a witness said. Scott Hanson was traveling northbound on the same road and saw the bear run out of the forest and across the road, hitting Edgmon's motorcycle. In a telephone interview later Monday night, Hanson described the animal as a brown bear who is probably not quite an adult."I saw the expression on the bear's face," Hanson said. "The bear looked shocked, but he didn't even break stride. He just kept going." "If a bear could look surprised, he looked surprised. He did a little flip and landed on his feet and then stepped over the side railing and disappeared into the woods."Lewis said state troopers who arrived at the scene were unable to find the bear in the woods."There was a large clump of bear hair stuck into the side of the motorcycle," said Lewis.Hanson said Edgmon fell sideways off his bike toward the middle of the road, hitting his elbows and rolling onto his hip. He was wearing a helmet and did not hit his head. Edgmon's motorcycle was totaled, according to Lewis.A small fire ignited behind the motorcycle from fuel spilled out of the motorcycle. Hanson pulled over, called 911 and motioned Edgmon away from the bike. "He was saying: 'Did you see that? Did you see that bear?' " Hanson said.Edgmon was being treated Monday evening at Valley Hospital in Palmer and could not be reached for comment. "I thought this stuff happened all the time in Alaska," joked Hanson, who lives in the Palmer area. "There's a lot of wildlife in that area, but I've never seen a bear there."
