One split-second encounter with a bear left a NJ biker seriously injured

🐻A Phillipsburg motorcyclist suffered serious injuries after striking a bear on Route 78 in Clinton Township late Sunday night.
🚑 The crash happened near Exit 17 when the bear entered the roadway, causing the Harley-Davidson rider to lose control and be ejected.
⚠️ The incident is the latest in a series of bear-related crashes on New Jersey highways, including several recent Route 78 and Route 80 encounters.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — A Phillipsburg man suffered serious injuries after he struck a bear while riding a motorcycle in Hunterdon County Sunday night.

Bear crash on Route 78 leaves motorcyclist seriously injured

The accident unfolded at around 11:21 p.m. on June 7, in Clinton Township on westbound Route 78 near milepost 22.4, just east of Exit 17 (Route 31) and the South Branch Raritan River, according to New Jersey State Police.

Based on a preliminary investigation, 31-year-old Luis Borges was riding a Harley-Davidson when a bear wandered onto the roadway, and Borges struck the animal, causing the motorcycle to overturn and eject him.

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Borges sustained serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital, NJSP said.

There is no word on the bear’s condition as the crash remains under investigation.

New Jersey bear encounters continue to impact drivers

Unfortunately, there have been other recent vehicle-bear strikes in New Jersey.

In May, delays and traffic alerts were reported on Route 80 near Mount Arlington after a bear cub was struck by a vehicle, and in April, state troopers rescued an orphaned bear cub along Route 78 in Hunterdon County, believed to be the offspring of a mother bear struck by a vehicle.

Recent bear-related crashes reported across New Jersey

In October 2025, four people were injured on Route 80 in Roxbury when a Ford van hit a bear, as well.

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