A bear was struck and killed early Monday by a motorcycle near Cool, but the rider suffered only minor injuries, the California Highway Patrol said.
The crash was reported shortly before 6 a.m. on Highway 193 near Penobscot Road. That is before sunrise, so it would have been dark at the time.
Cool is east of Auburn off of Interstate 80. It is not known to have many bear sightings, according to locals.
CHP Officer Rich Wetzel said the rider was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The California Department of Transportation was called to remove the bear's body.
It was not immediately known what kind of bear was killed, its age or size.
KCRA.com contributed to this report.