Bear attacks mountain biker in Kitsap park

A mountain biker was attacked by a black bear Sunday while riding through a Kitsap County park with his two dogs.

The 51-year-old man came upon the bear at about noon during a ride through the trails at Banner Forest Heritage Park in Olalla, said Ron Powers, battalion chief for South Kitsap Fire and Rescue. The man's dogs were in front of him on the trail when he heard them barking. He came around a blind corner and was face to face with the bear, Powers said.

The bear immediately charged the man, who picked up his bike and attempted to protect himself with it.

Reaching through the bike, the bear tore at the man's arm, face, back, neck and ear, Powers said.

"And then, for some reason, the bear stops," Powers said. The man was able to get on his bike and ride out of the forest, where he found two people who called 911.

Paramedics treated the man and took him to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. His condition was not released, but Powers said he was in "pretty bad shape."

One of the dogs, skittish after the attack, bit a bystander, Powers said. The other dog was not found.

The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office blocked off the two entrances to the park and attempted to evacuate it.

A state Department of Fish and Wildlife officer was gathering a team of dogs, with the intent of finding the bear and euthanizing it.

Another mountain biker who was leaving the park had reported seeing a black bear with two cubs earlier in the day.

"It's quite likely it's the same bear," Powers said. "The reason it was so aggressive was because of the two cubs."

Banner Forest Heritage Park, a woodsy, 635-acre park outside the town of Olalla, is known for its extensive trail system and is a popular place for horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking.

Christina Siderius: csiderius@seattletimes.com

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.