Illinois State Police say it was fortunate that when a semi trailer hauling cattle crashed near Danville Saturday, the crash occurred near an exit along Interstate 74. Nearly 70 head of cattle spilled onto the highway near the U.S. route 150 exit….and many of those wondered up the exit to a nearby field north of Catlin.
The driver of the truck was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.
Vermilion County Department of Animal Regulation Officers joined Sheriff’s Police and other volunteers as they rounded-up the animals. Those involved in the effort were even using off-road vehicles and a drone to try to track the cattle – many of which had fled into a wooded area. Sheriff’s Police and Illinois State Troopers remained in the area for hours…using their emergency lights to slow traffic just in case some cattle wondered back onto either Interstate 74 or U.S. route 150.
Two of the cattle were killed in the crash, according to initial reports, and several were hurt. Of those that fled the scene, some decided to graze in the yards of nearby residences.
It was the second serious accident involving a semi tractor trailer along Interstate 74 in Vermilion County in a matter of hours. Illinois State Police say in the other crash a semi jackknifed on I-74 near the 206 mile marker at Oakwood Saturday. The driver of that truck was not hurt but the crash blocked both eastbound lanes. Traffic was able to pass through the area on the shoulder, but was halted for awhile as crews cleared the wreckage.
