Black bear.jpg

A black bear is pictured (AP photo)

A Fort Walton deputy on Sunday morning got quite a surprise as he drove on U.S. 98 as a large bear ran across the roadway in front of his patrol car.

The deputy's dashboard camera captured the bear's frantic freeway dash, which occurred around 5:30 a.m. near Musset Bayou. In a post on the department's Facebook page, officials urged people heading to the beach to use caution when driving due to the abundance of wildlife in the area.

"Please remember our beaches aren't going anywhere. They're here waiting for you when you arrive! #SafeTravels," the post read.

See the dashboard camera footage below.