California Man Bravely Defends Himself Against Charging Bear

WHO:

ABC News - A man from Sacramento is involved in the incident.

WHAT:

ABC News - The man successfully defended himself against a charging bear using bear spray.

Fox News - The bear was raiding a garbage can at the man's Lake Tahoe garage before the encounter.

WHERE:

ABC News - The incident occurred outside a vacation home near Lake Tahoe.

Fox News - The location of the encounter is specified as Lake Tahoe.

HOW:

ABC News - The man utilized bear spray to fend off the charging bear.

Fox News - The man had bear spray nearby, which he deployed during the encounter.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 11:57 UTC)

A man from Sacramento successfully defended himself against a charging bear outside his vacation home near Lake Tahoe. The bear had been raiding a garbage can at the man's garage before the encounter, prompting him to use bear spray that he had nearby. Fortunately, the man was able to fend off the bear with the spray during the tense situation.