Altadena Man Threatens Suit Over Bear in Crawlspace

Kenneth Johnson, a 63-year-old resident of Altadena, California, has threatened to sue the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, alleging the agency has neglected to remove a 550-pound black bear that has been living in the crawlspace beneath his home since November. The bear, known to officials as Yellow 2120 from a previous encounter, has caused extensive damage to the property and disrupted Johnson's daily life, prompting his frustration after months of unsuccessful removal efforts.

Johnson first noticed signs of the intruder in late October when he observed damage around the exterior of his home. He installed security cameras, which captured footage of the large black bear entering the unsecured crawlspace just before Thanksgiving. The animal's presence has led to structural issues, including shredded plastic insulation and a broken gas pipe that forced Johnson to shut off his gas line on Christmas Eve, leaving him without hot water. "I can hear the plastic being shredded underneath, and one of the cameras picked it up just bulldozing through it. It's a mess under there," Johnson said in an interview.

The bear, which officials previously tagged and relocated about 10...