40 COWS KILLED
AFTER SEMI OVERTURNS ON I-20 IN GREGG COUNTY, TEXAS. THE DRIVER OF THE 18 WHEELER FELL ASLEEP, RAN
DOWN A SLIGHT CURVE IN THE ROAD WAY RAN INTO A TREE CRASHED. THE CATTLE STAYED
CONTAINED INSIDE THE TRAILER.
Posted: Oct 22, 2014 7:13 AM EDT Updated: Oct 22, 2014
7:34 PM EDT
GREGG COUNTY, TX (KLTV) - Interstate 20 has been
reopened following two crashes that shut down the lanes for more than 12 hours.
Forty cows are dead after a wreck involving an
overturned cattle hauler that caused delays on the interstate in Gregg
County.
According to authorities, the wreck happened Wednesday on Interstate 20 westbound near mile marker 593, around 3:30 a.m. DPS troopers say the driver of the 18-wheeler fell asleep behind the wheel while hauling about 75 head of cattle from Florida to Texas. Forty of the animals were killed.
According to authorities, the wreck happened Wednesday on Interstate 20 westbound near mile marker 593, around 3:30 a.m. DPS troopers say the driver of the 18-wheeler fell asleep behind the wheel while hauling about 75 head of cattle from Florida to Texas. Forty of the animals were killed.
"The driver of the 18 wheeler fell asleep, ran down
a slight curve in the road way ran into a tree crashed. The cattle stayed
contained inside the trailer," says Gregg county DPS trooper John Smith.
The double-decker trailer sunk into the soft dirt, the trailer doors damaged, so that the cattle could not be unloaded. Many were still alive, trapped under the dead. With time running out, workers went to the unusual step of cutting a hole in the side of the trailer to try to get the uninjured animals out.
Dozens of county workers and firefighters came to help.
"We have some cowboys, some ranchers. We tried to save the ones that still alive and don't have no injuries, there's a time factor," says volunteer Jerry Wallace.
Workers quickly pulled out cattle that were exhausted, but still alive.
Gates were added around the scene to keep cattle from the roadway.
"We didn't have any running around so there was no issue as far as the public safety," Smith says.
The driver and passenger in the truck were hospitalized with minor injuries.
Despite the effort, only 35 of the 75 cattle were saved.
Although traffic moved slowly in the area, both eastbound lanes of I-20 remained open. Officials worked to round up the live cattle from the truck as well as those lost when the truck crashed, according to Kathi White, a Texas Department of Transportation spokeswoman. With the roadway down to one travel lane, the department advised motorists to use caution. The accident scene was cleared around 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
The driver and passenger in the truck were transported to a Longview hospital. Their condition is unknown at this time.
The double-decker trailer sunk into the soft dirt, the trailer doors damaged, so that the cattle could not be unloaded. Many were still alive, trapped under the dead. With time running out, workers went to the unusual step of cutting a hole in the side of the trailer to try to get the uninjured animals out.
Dozens of county workers and firefighters came to help.
"We have some cowboys, some ranchers. We tried to save the ones that still alive and don't have no injuries, there's a time factor," says volunteer Jerry Wallace.
Workers quickly pulled out cattle that were exhausted, but still alive.
Gates were added around the scene to keep cattle from the roadway.
"We didn't have any running around so there was no issue as far as the public safety," Smith says.
The driver and passenger in the truck were hospitalized with minor injuries.
Despite the effort, only 35 of the 75 cattle were saved.
Although traffic moved slowly in the area, both eastbound lanes of I-20 remained open. Officials worked to round up the live cattle from the truck as well as those lost when the truck crashed, according to Kathi White, a Texas Department of Transportation spokeswoman. With the roadway down to one travel lane, the department advised motorists to use caution. The accident scene was cleared around 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
The driver and passenger in the truck were transported to a Longview hospital. Their condition is unknown at this time.