An Ojai woman was attacked by a bear Friday morning while walking her dogs, suffering injuries to her arm and back during the harrowing encounter.
The 50-year-old woman was not identified by the state Department of Fish and Game, which confirmed the attack Friday afternoon.
The incident began at about at 7 a.m., just north of the Ojai city limit, adjacent to national forest land.
The cinnamon-colored black bear, estimated to weigh 250 pounds, was traveling with a cub. Both bears had run across the road, in front of the woman, but the sow returned and swiped at the woman's wrist, inflicting lacerations.
The bear then wandered off, but returned and charged the woman from behind, knocking her down an embankment. She suffered abrasions and perhaps more lacerations.
At the bottom of the embankment, the frightened woman sat with her head in her lap, according to the DFG news release. The bear approached and sniffed the woman's neck for about 10 seconds before leaving.
The woman was able to telephone for help. It remains unclear what her dogs were doing throughout this ordeal.
The DFG said some area trails may be closed to hikers during the weekend and that the agency will try to capture the bear.
The DFG added that there was "no indication" that the sow is the mother of a bear cub that was found and rescued in Ojai and delivered to a wildlife care facility over the weekend.
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