Bear in road leads to deadly chain-reaction crash in Suffolk, police say

SUFFOLK, Va. — A Suffolk man died after a crash involving a black bear sent his vehicle off the road, into trees and partially into the water Thursday night.

Reports of a crash in the 1900 block of Portsmouth Road came in at 10:45 p.m., according to a news release from the Suffolk Police Department.

Police said the initial investigation revealed that a black bear was in the road and was hit by several cars.

One car veered off the road to the right, hitting trees, and eventually came to a stop in nearby water.

The driver of that vehicle, Soranzo Harvin Jr., 41, was pronounced dead at the scene.

No other injuries were reported.

Portsmouth Boulevard was closed for several hours but has since reopened.

Police continue to investigate the crash.

This is a developing story, so check back with WTKR.com for updates. Email News 3 if you have info, photos or videos to share.