67-Year-Old Recovering After Fighting Off Bear Outside His California Home

A 66-year-old man was attacked by a bear Thursday, but he fought off the animal and lived to tell an incredible tale.

Yepez said he punched the bear, but the animal latched onto his arm and wouldn’t let go.

The incident occurred around 4 a.m.at a home on Colorado Road near Highway 140 in Midpines.

A Vietnam veteran named Larry Yepez said he stepped outside his house on the outskirts of Yosemite National Park early Wednesday morning and was attacked by a 200-pound black bear. “He was on top of me”.

Yepez said in the TV interview that he yelled at the bear and hit it with a plastic tub to try to get it off his porch.

The victim was struck from behind and seriously injured in the attack, said Jordan Traverso, spokeswoman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, but was still able to drive himself to the hospital. He sustained lacerations and puncture wounds to his face, legs, arms, abdomen, hands and feet, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Chambers told the Sun-Star that Yepez, who lives alone, was recovering at his residence. Bears have been a problem in the area for the past several weeks.

The Los Angeles Times says the drought has made food scarce, so bears have been searching elsewhere for food. There have been around 15 bear attacks since 1980, she said.

The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to watch their children and pets, and dial 911 if they encounter a bear.