A woman in Alaska is currently recovering after being dragged by a bear outside her home during her morning jog.
Authorities shared what happened
In a news release, the Alaska Department of Public Safety said that police were alerted on Tuesday, August 26 regarding an incident near Chinook Drive in Kenai.
It was around 6:58 a.m. when they were alerted about the 36-year-old woman.
She had been out of the house an hour earlier
Multiple outlets and a GoFundMe page identified the victim as Ariean Fabrizio Colton, who was out of her home around an hour earlier and ‘was near her driveway when the initial attack occurred,’ per officials.
A neighbor noticed the situation
The public safety release said, “A neighbor came outside and located her. The victim was medivac[ed] to an Anchorage area hospital with serious injuries.”
“Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Kenai Police Department, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game personnel searched the area on foot and with a drone looking for the bear.”
They haven’t been able to find the bear
The Department of Public Safety also added per the release, “The bear has not been located. Patrols of the area will continue, and the public is advised to remain vigilant while outdoors.”
The woman had been dragged for about 100 yards
The bear dragged the woman ‘approximately 100 yards down the road’ onto a neighbor’s property, according to Alaska Wildlife Trooper David Lorring who spoke to NBC affiliate KTUU.
The attack came when the woman had only made it about 50 yards from her home. The bear is said to have come ‘out of another property’.
Lorring explained the situation
“He heard the barking, wolfing sound of a bear, he’d been around bears before and he thought a bear might have got a dog and was doing something in the neighborhood,” Lorring said.
“He didn’t really think much of it and then he heard it some more. [In] daylight, he walked out there and located a female in the woods on his property.”
The woman was in shock and bleeding
Lorring told the outlet that although the woman was still conscious and able to speak, she was in shock and bleeding from her face and scalp when authorities came to help.
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She is still in critical condition as of Friday, August 29 when the Alaska Department of Public Safety spoke to USA Today.
Residents were advised to stay alert
Alaska State Troopers urged residents in the area to ‘be on high alert’ in a statement shared on Facebook.
“Please remain vigilant when outdoors, supervise children and pets closely, and secure attractants such as trash, pet food, and bird feeders,” they said, adding, “If you encounter a bear, keep a safe distance and do not approach.”
