Bear makes home in car of Salem family

Bear damages inside of car

SALEM, Va. – A Salem family had an unusual start to their Thursday morning after they found a bear in their car.

Ryan McClanahan sent pictures to our newsroom of the scene. He said he was getting ready for work when he heard honking from his car.
   
He looked out the window and saw it shaking and heard noises coming from the Honda Pilot. McClanahan said his wife called the police for help.

VIEW MORE PICTURES OF THE BEAR
    
Officer Chris Thayer with Roanoke County Police came to the scene.

"The bear has somehow gotten inside the car and locked it back so all the doors were closed," said Ryan McClanahan.

"The bear is laying down on the arm rest. He is just laying down. The car is all fogged up. You can see damage from inside the car, but he's just sitting there looking at you just hanging out and tired and worn out," said Thayer.

 Thayer opened the back driver side door to let the bear out when it ran back into the woods.

McClanahan said there was damage to the car.