A livestock truck tipped over on a highway north of Atlanta, Georgia, and much of the cargo wandered away from the scene of the accident.
According to Georgia’s Department of Transportation, a truck carrying cattle was heading east on I-285 at the junction with I-75. The truck tipped over while negotiating a cloverleaf, spilling dozens of livestock onto the highway.
The accident happened on the Cobb Cloverleaf connecting Interstates 75 and 285 at around 3 a.m. on Oct. 1, CBS News reported.
I-285 EB near I-75. Traffic is backed up due to an overturned TT and have released a lot of cattle. This cow is at the bridge over the Chattahoochee River, right at the Cobb county line heading west. Our maintenance truck is blocking the cow in to keep it safe. @GADeptofTrans pic.twitter.com/6wZGkseAzy
— Georgia DOT ATL (@GDOTATL) October 1, 2018
Highway workers had to cut open the fallen trailer to release the trapped cows before they could consider tipping it upright and hauling it away.
The I-75 exit ramp was still closed at the start of Monday morning’s rush hour.
More cattle herding on I-75 NB past Cumberland Blvd @GDOTATL #HEROS pic.twitter.com/kNV2HnD9hR
— Cobb County DOT (@CobbDOT) October 1, 2018
Several cows were killed when the truck and trailer tipped over. Other cows escaped and were spotted wandering past the 24-hour ATM at a nearby bank, up and down Interstate 285, and all along the bank of the Chattahoochee River.
Another up close look at the overturned tractor trailer that released an estimated 89 cows onto the interstate. We’re #WorkingForYou to get this crash cleared, but this will take a while. pic.twitter.com/QUcGndg8qe
— Georgia DOT (@GADeptofTrans) October 1, 2018
Local cowboys were recruited to help round up the lost cattle. “We’re wrangling some cows, that’s what we’re doing,” Sergeant Joe Worsham of the Sandy Springs Police Department told CBS.
More are still being removed from the overturned TT. pic.twitter.com/eJfAsM8AYa
— Georgia DOT (@GADeptofTrans) October 1, 2018
Eleven cows were killed, and the last loose cow was captured at 4 p.m., according to the Journal-Constitution.
There we go! The TT is upright! pic.twitter.com/maxMMQgUqZ
— Georgia DOT (@GADeptofTrans) October 1, 2018
Sgt. Worsham said that wandering cows had caused at least four auto accidents. The truck driver was taken to a hospital and several cows were injured.
Video Update: Truck right-sided after removing 36-cows on overturned tractor-trailer on I-285. 11AM open estimate – https://t.co/47ZOd82IRj #DeKalb pic.twitter.com/rHXuJE3C7g
— John Spink (@johnjspink) June 8, 2018
This is the third time in six months that cattle trucks have overturned on Georgia highways, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
A cattle truck overturned on Interstate 285 on June 8, dumping 36 cows onto the highway. Three were killed in the crash.
#REDALERT Cherokee/Cobb Co: Overturned Cattle Truck…I-75/sb before Wade Green Rd (Exit 273). All lanes SHUTDOWN. Traffic diverted off at Hwy 92. Use Bells Ferry or I-575 as your alternate. #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/m9IvEFxN5A
— Triple Team Traffic (@WSBTraffic) May 17, 2018
On May 17, a livestock trailer overturned on Interstate 75. Nineteen cows escaped causing accidents which left ten cows dead.
