(CNN) — A rare car crash involving a black bear and a chain reaction left three people dead and eight injured in Florida, authorities said.
A woman in an SUV hit the 300-pound black bear in a dark, remote road Sunday night, leaving her stranded at Big Cypress Seminole Reservation in the Everglades.
A group of three people in a separate car pulled over to help, said Gary Bitner, a spokesman for the Seminole Police Department.
Once they got out of their vehicle, a third car plowed into the disabled SUV then hit the three good Samaritans, authorities said.
All three died, Bitner said.
The three cars had a total of 13 passengers; eight were injured and an additional two were not hurt, including the woman in the SUV.
“I have never heard of a case of a bear being in a traffic accident,” Bitner said. “We have had cases of Florida panthers being involved in car accident, but not a Florida black bear.”
The identities of the victims were not immediately released.
The bear died when it was struck by the SUV.
