Authorities: Driver struck Grizzly 399 while exceeding the speed limit, killing the famous bear almost instantly

The man who struck and killed Grizzly 399 on his way home from Jackson on Tuesday night was driving at about the speed limit of 55 miles per hour, police officials said Thursday.

These details about the Snake River Canyon accident that sparked outrage across Wyoming and the world come from an accident investigation conducted by Lt. Lincoln County Sheriff's Patrolman John Stetzenbach.

“If you look at the accident itself, the size of the bear and the damage caused to the vehicle, [the investigation] indicated that he was probably traveling at the posted speed,” Stetzenbach told WyoFile. “In other words, he wasn’t speeding.”

The collision was so serious that the vehicle was no longer drivable. After the overnight accident, which occurred around 10:30 a.m., drivers drove off to see what they had hit.

“They got out and looked at the animal,” Stetzenbach said. “It was clearly deceased.”

The Jackson Hole News&Guide reported that grizzly bears, including 399 as of Monday evening, have been active recently in the Snake River Canyon. The sightings reported by the newspaper occurred closer to the Teton County side of the thoroughfare that runs parallel to the Snake River, about 5 miles or so from Hoback Junction.

However, the fatal collision occurred far west in Lincoln County. Stetzenbach said Grizzly 399 was hit near mile marker 126, which is about 8 miles from Alpine.

“The bear got into his lane,” he said of the driver, “and he couldn’t avoid the bear.”

Reports of bears in the highway corridor had been received by Lincoln County deputies earlier in the night, Stetzenbach said.

“Someone who had previously… observed a bear on the road [the crash] “I had called and said there were animals on the street,” he said.

The lieutenant wasn't sure when the report came in, nor did he know if authorities responded to it.

The collision was catastrophic for both the 28-year-old world-famous brown bear and the vehicle, a car that had to be towed away.

Following the deputy's initial response, a number of agencies became involved: the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Stetzenbach would not say where the driver lives, although he was commuting toward Star Valley. It was best, the lieutenant said, that the man's identity not be spread.

“There is no shortage of animal lovers,” Stetzenbach said. “It really was an accident.”

“We are trying to protect this person,” he added. “We don’t want this person to be harassed.”

Since 399's death was reported, numerous people have called the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office to inquire whether the driver received a ticket.

“The answer is no, they didn’t have a ticket,” the lieutenant said. “Why not? Because it was an accident. The investigation shows that it was an accident. There was no speeding. There was no carelessness on the part of the driver.”

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