Dozens of Cows Killed, Others Escape After Truck Plunges Off Kansas City Overpass
A semitractor-trailer overturned early Sunday, spilling its livestock onto city streets and triggering a large-scale search.
Dozens of cattle died and more escaped onto the streets of Kansas City, Missouri, after a semitractor-trailer carrying livestock plunged off a highway overpass early Sunday morning. The truck landed on a car, resulting in minor injuries for both drivers.
The accident occurred shortly before 3 a.m. near the downtown area. Between 45 and 60 of the 120 to 130 cattle aboard the truck were killed in the crash, according to Kansas City Police Sgt. Phil DiMartino. The remaining cattle scattered across the area, prompting police calls and reports of additional minor collisions.
The roundup of the surviving animals continued into the early afternoon. Authorities stated that all cows are believed to have been accounted for by Sunday afternoon. Some cattle had traveled several miles before being captured.
City officials deployed drones to locate the scattered livestock, and a private company later assisted with a horseback team to round up the animals. Fire Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins described the scene as a "pretty nasty accident" and noted that recovering the deceased animals presented additional challenges.
Despite the significant disruption, authorities did not anticipate major traffic issues for the Kansas City Chiefs' National Football League game later that day, partly due to the widespread publicity the accident had already received.