Black bear on the loose in Oak Ridge

By SAMANTHA SARACINO
6 News Reporter

OAK RIDGE (WATE) - A bear is on the loose in Oak Ridge. For one family, the animal came too close for comfort.

The bear has been spotted in several locations across the city. It ended up in one woman's home on Marshall Circle and even touched her 20-year-old daughter.

"I never want to encounter a bear again. It was the scariest thing in my life. Last night I went to bed smiling so big because I had my life," said Kristy Ogle, who saw the black bear.

She said she wasn't expecting to see the bear when she was outside her home.

"I was sitting on the driveway on the phone and this extremely terrible smell came up. I was thinking I was about to get sprayed by a skunk and I turned around. As soon as I did I thought it was a big dog. It brushed my leg to the side and almost knocked me over," Kristy explained.

Amy Ogle, Kristy's Mom, was inside when it happened.

"She came flying in the house yelling mom! There's a bear. I didn't believe her," said Amy. But when she came outside and saw the bear running between the houses behind them, she couldn't believe it was there in the middle of the city. "It was running. It was running really fast."

Officials say it's not uncommon.

"We're in between two big bear reserves with the Smoky Mountains and Big South Fork so it's not unusual this time of year for bears to come through," said Jason Lankford, with Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Lankford said the bear isn't looking for anything but food. "Keep the dog and cat food up. The bird feeders and the BBQ grills. They like the grease traps on grills," he said.

Oak Ridge Police and TWRA did not receive any calls about a bear sighting Wednesday. They're monitoring the situation and on stand by, but it seems the bear is moving out of the area.