Teacher OK after crashing into bear on a bicycle

After biker and bruin cartwheel down the road, they go separate ways

Michael Gallacher / AP

Jim Litz has a broken bike helmet and bruised ribs to show for the 25-mph collision with a 300-pound black bear on Monday in Missoula, Mont.

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updated 12:29 a.m. ET Sept. 11, 2008

MISSOULA, Mont. - A middle school teacher suffered some bruising and a big scratch on his back after he struck a bear while riding his bicycle to school.

Jim Litz said he was traveling about 25 mph Monday morning when he came upon a rise and spotted a black bear about 10 feet in front of him. He didn't have time to stop and T-boned the bruin.

He tumbled over the handlebars, his helmet hit the bear's back and the two went cartwheeling down the road.

Story continues below ↓

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The bear rolled over Litz's head, cracking his helmet, and scratched his back before scampering up a hill above the road.

Litz's wife drove by shortly after the crash and took her husband to the hospital. He hoped to be able to return to teaching science at Target Range Middle School on Friday.