A Freak Accident: Virginia Houndsman Dies After Bear Falls on Him

With new details emerging in this story of incredibly bad luck, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources has confirmed the death of 58-year-old Lester Clayton Harvey, Jr.

According to the incident report, officials stated that a group of hunters, including Harvey, had treed a black bear they were hunting. Stepping away from underneath the tree's branches, VDWR officials stated that one of Harvey’s companions, not Harvey, shot the bear while the victim was standing approximately 10 feet away from the base of the tree’s trunk.

While the details of exactly what happened next remain scarce, from what we can gather, the bear fell out of the tree and directly on Harvey, causing serious injury. As of right now, there are no details regarding the size of the bear, what specific injuries Harvey sustained or what his physical condition was following the impact.

We do know that the group promptly administered first aid to their hunting companion and that wildlife officials were made aware of the intense situation at approximately 9:50 a.m. Following the distress call, local fire department and EMS personnel were on the scene and Harvey was immediately transported by ground to VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill. The victim was later relocated to VCU Medical Center in Richmond, but unfortunately passed away 4 days later on Friday, succumbing to his injuries.

Harvey was reportedly a self-employed contractor, an avid outdoorsman and a ‘friend to all’ according to his obituary. He is survived by his wife, five children and eight grandchildren.

“I went from having the best husband and a man that loved me so much and a man I loved with my heart and soul to being a widow at 48 years old. It’s not fair….” His wife,vApril Dawn Harvey wrote on Facebook. “…I am trying so hard to keep my faith in God but this has destroyed my life so it’s really kind of hard! You were the best husband! I love you so much and will the rest of my life!”

VDWR confirmed the agency is not seeking any charges related to the incident at this time.