GLENDALE, AZ — Traffic was shut down along Loop 101 in the West Valley after a crash caused more than a dozen head of cattle to get loose on the freeway early Friday morning.
The incident occurred around 4 a.m. in the southbound lanes near Glendale Avenue.
Arizona Department of Transportation video showed several of the animals walking in the lanes of traffic, some even committing traffic violations.
"They're running behind me. They're going to be northbound in the southbound lane," said a DPS trooper over radio to other troopers.
Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers shut down the southbound lanes in order to safely herd the animals off the freeway. Crews were able to round them up and corral them away from traffic with police tape and barbed wire.
ABC15 is working to find out exactly where they were taken.
The cattle, which DPS says are calves, came from a cattle truck that crashed into a barrier wall separating the Maryland Avenue HOV lane freeway exit. ABC15 crews at the scene were told the driver, who was headed to southern Arizona, possibly fell asleep at the wheel.
DPS says the driver was not hurt in the crash, but two of the cows had to be euthanized due to their injuries. Another one that was corralled off the freeway will have its injuries assessed.
In total, there were more than 100 calves in the truck at the time of the collision.
DPS says they are working to make arrangements to get the cattle safely out of the area and on their way.
The cows have been mooooo-ved! (I know I’ll see myself out 🤡) The guys who own the lot next the highway cut their fence to get them through to a less stressful place while they wait for the new truck @abc15 pic.twitter.com/qT8rRcRxDh
— Amelia Fabiano ABC15 (@AmeliaFabianoTV) December 2, 2022
