Massive bison rams pickup truck in Yellowstone after driver tries to avoid collision

A driver's early-morning trip through Yellowstone National Park took a frightening turn when a bison suddenly charged his pickup truck.

Kyle Weber, a seasonal mechanic who had been working in Yellowstone, was driving south from Canyon Village toward Fishing Bridge when he encountered the animal in the road. Rather than attempting to pass, he hit the brakes and waited for the bison to move. "I slammed on my brakes and stopped, and was just sitting there watching and waiting for him to continue walking," Weber said.

After he waited, the animal remained on the roadway - and then unexpectedly charged the pickup and hit its front-left side. Weber estimated the impact pushed his truck backward at least a foot and a half. The collision dented the truck's bumper and hood, and it broke a side marker light.

Weber reportedly plans to replace the damaged bumper and side marker, using the repairs as an opportunity to make some upgrades to the truck. The dented hood, however, may remain as a reminder of the encounter. "I think I'll keep it," Weber said. "It has a cool story behind it."

This is not the first time a visitor to Yellowstone has encountered a bison in a frightening manner. In July, a grandfather was seriously injured when a bull bison charged him at Bridge Bay Campground near Yellowstone Lake. Carl Isom-McDaniel broke his femur in four places after being thrown into the air.