Cow Hauler accident, cows escape on I 94

Discussion in 'Trucking Accidents' started by Giggles the Original, Jul 27, 2010.

  1. Giggles the Original

    Giggles the Original Road Train Member

    Cattle hauler wreck closes interstate



    Comments

    July 27, 2010

    POST-TRIBUNE STAFF REPORT
    A pair of Indiana State Troopers found themselves in a interstate rodeo late last night and into Tuesday morning when a tractor-trailer carrying 34 cattle was involved in an accident and seven cows escaped.
    At approximately 11:53 p.m. Monday, Troopers Lawrence McFarrin and Nathan Wolfe were called to a crash on westbound Interstate 94 just west of the Chesterton (Indiana 49) exit. According to the state police, the preliminary investigation showed that a 1999 Peterbilt tractor-trailer hauling cattle was westbound on I-94 in the right lane when it hit the rear of a 2011 Volvo semitrailer.
    The driver of the cattle hauler, David D. Moss, 35, of Holland, Mich., told police he was on his CB radio talking to another driver when he hit the rear of the box trailer. Moss said that after the passenger side of his rig caught fire, he dove out his driver's window that was already partially down.
    Moss told police he attempted to extinguish the fire but could not. The fire caused the trailer tires to explode, which blew the bottom out of the aluminum cattle hauler, according to police. Seven of the 34 cattle inside the trailer escaped onto the interstate.
    Moss and the troopers spent most of the night trying to keep the cattle contained in one area until another cattle hauler arrived to load the surviving cattle onto it. Sixteen of the cattle survived. The dead cattle will be taken to a landfill.
    Zhan Hua Dong, 47, of Scarborough, Ontario, the driver of the Volvo semi-box trailer was not injured and his trailer sustained minimal damage, according to the state police.
    Moss was not injured but his Peterbilt tractor and trailer were a total loss. He was driving for J.P. Express, Dorr, Mich. Moss was headed to Milwaukee, Wis., when the crash occurred. He was cited for following too closely, according to a police press release.
    Westbound and eastbound traffic was completely closed for most of the night for fear that the escaped cattle may jump the three foot concrete barrier wall dividing west and east bound traffic. Eastbound traffic was reopened at 4:43 a.m. Westbound traffic was reopened at about 7:30 a.m.
     
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  3. otherhalftw

    otherhalftw R.I.P.

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    Must have been quite the conversation on the CB that night!
     
  4. Giggles the Original

    Giggles the Original Road Train Member

    yeah i guess so...I came thru there this morning and stayed on I 80...but the electronic signs were up saying I 94 was closed for crash clean up ....all lanes blocked....glad I wasnt going that way...was stuck behind one in Wyoming on this trip too, flatbed wrecked and lost his load near elk mountain rest area..cant find info on that one....also Bedford exit in PA was closed.....truck rolled over..wrecker had it hooked up when we went by...all of that on this trip....(salinas to N.J.)
     
  5. otherhalftw

    otherhalftw R.I.P.

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    OK then...let me know where you are when you are running the highways...one could (in an irrational way of thinking...which I am incredibly versed in) assume you to be ....AN ACCIDENT MAGNET!:biggrin_25514::biggrin_25525:
     
  6. Giggles the Original

    Giggles the Original Road Train Member

    LOL....starting to wonder....seems like it thats for sure. as long as we dont start being IN them....well heres a heads up...del NJ then reload VA then headed to Vegas...
     
  7. otherhalftw

    otherhalftw R.I.P.

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    CA...gold discovery foothills
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    I should be safe...Sacramento to Irwindale back to Roseville...tough couple days for sure...but I will feel comfortable knowing you two are somewhere checking out corn fields!:biggrin_25525:
     
  8. Giggles the Original

    Giggles the Original Road Train Member

    who do u drive for?? irwindale??? ready pac??
     
  9. otherhalftw

    otherhalftw R.I.P.

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    CA...gold discovery foothills
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    DHE..we run 11 western and TX...mostly up and down I-5 big Sysco contract keeps us moving steady especially in winter. the Irwindale is ACE Hardware...drop trailer to be cross loaded to an LTL local delivery group (right behind the racetrack...210/605 basically) and Ace goes to...well ACE out by the newer casino off CA 65.
     
  10. Giggles the Original

    Giggles the Original Road Train Member

    ahhhh gotcha...thought we drove for same co. for a min there when u said irwindale...lol ...people can say what they want (make fun of interstate) but we make good money over here...sure, we miss our chicken truck BUT never made this much money hauling chickens....or hauling #####...lol
     
  11. otherhalftw

    otherhalftw R.I.P.

    13,081
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    Nov 18, 2008
    CA...gold discovery foothills
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    I did the Interstate thing about 2002-2004 and went back to Swift...just couldn't get the miles (solo) with Int.---also did the local out of Sacramento for a while...Sac to Bay Area two or three times a day...that was a killer...the hurs between my commute to work every morning and evening back, then the 10-11 hours in the truck everyday (sometimes no weekend off)...to be honest it kicked my butt...just too many hours to really not take that much home. Swift was good to me for about 12 years...but I do enjoy DHE...especially once out of I-5 when I can open her up and watch that green (with white stripe) drift away in my mirror! LOL:biggrin_25525:
     
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