Farmington bear honks car horn, surprises homeowner

FARMINGTON, Connecticut — A Farmington woman got an unexpected surprise Thursday morning when she discovered a black bear sitting in the driver’s seat of her car, repeatedly honking the horn.

Hillary Ribaudo was working from her home office, located above the driveway, when she heard honking outside.

“I never expected that a bear could open our car door. That was not on my radar at all,” Ribaudo said.

She initially thought it was a delivery or a visit from her in-laws. But after the honking continued for about 15 minutes, she looked out her window — and was stunned.

“I looked in the driver's side door, the door was closed, there was a bear sitting in my driver’s seat with the paws on the steering wheel honking the horn like this, like a person,” she said.

Her husband, Ted Ribaudo, w