Lake Tahoe man uses bear spray to deter charging black bear

A California man used bear spray to stop a charging black bear outside his Lake Tahoe vacation home on July 4, in a tense encounter captured on home security video. Cortlandt Koerwitz of Sacramento said the incident began when his daughters, who were packing coolers in the garage for a holiday boat trip, spotted the bear rummaging through a trash can.

Koerwitz said he grabbed a canister of bear spray kept by the garage door and went to investigate. The situation escalated rapidly when the bear turned and rushed toward him. He deployed the spray just as the animal charged. The bear was deterred and ran off, but the overspray also hit Koerwitz in the eyes, temporarily affecting his vision. He was not otherwise injured.

Video of the incident shows Koerwitz firing the spray as the bear moves toward him. He described the moment as startling, noting that such aggressive behavior is unusual for bears in the Lake Tahoe area. While bears are commonly seen in the region, often drawn into neighborhoods by unsecured food and garbage, they typically avoid confrontations with people.

Wildlife officials emphasize that securing attractants is the most effective way to prevent conflicts. The...