Standing at 5-foot-9 and about 165 pounds, 66 year old Marine vet Larry Yepez isn’t exactly the prime candidate to fight a 200-lb bear. But NEVER count a Marine out!
He was heading to his bathroom, which is detached from his home, shortly before dawn when a motion detector light was tripped and he found himself standing 10 feet in front of bear who was rummaging through his rubbish.
It was at this time the spooked bear charged at him. After taking swings at him with a plastic flower pot, the bear pounced on him and he had to get innovative. While there are no witnesses, here is what Yepez said occurred according to the Washington Post:
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“I hit him on the head with my right hand, Then I tried to hit him with my left and he locked his jaws on it. I hit him again with my right and he hit me back. At that moment, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to punch my way out… I was in disbelief. I didn’t know what was going on, but when he had my hand in his mouth and I could see his eyes just inches away from mine, I thought, ‘’This bear is trying to kill you. You’ve got to fight.’...I got my feet underneath the bear and pushed as hard as I could. He stumbled back, looked at me and then he started to come at me again.”
At this point Benji, Yepez’s 10-pound Yorshire terrier ran up behind the bear and began nipping at it.
“The bear turned around and swatted at the dog and that gave us just enough time to get back in and slam the door.”
“I started yelling, ‘Get out of here!’”
“I was covered in blood, he had bit up my hand, ripped my chest and abdomen, scratched my legs and thighs. He had tried to get to my throat. I still have bruises on my neck. … Blood was coming from my face and my ear. I had survived the bear attack, but now knew I needed to stop the bleeding.”
When he got to the hospital the doctors said he was nearly disemboweled but he said: “My adrenaline was flowing,”I didn’t feel any pain at all.”
Read More at the Washington Post
Should this bear be put down if captured? Would you have reacted the same way as Yepez? Let us know in the comments below!
