Highway 31 Crash: Harley rider hospitalized after colliding with bear

SWAN VALLEY, Idaho (KIFI) — A local motorcyclist was hospitalized Wednesday evening after colliding with a bear along Highway 31 north of Swan Valley.

According to Idaho State Police, the crash happened around 5:37 p.m. near milepost 7. A 55-year-old Jackson man was traveling northbound on a 2016 Harley-Davidson when he struck a bear in the roadway.

The rider, who was not wearing a helmet, was airlifted to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. His current condition has not been released.

Northbound lanes were blocked for about four hours while emergency crews cleared the scene and investigated.

The crash remains under investigation by the Idaho State Police.