2 cows dead after crash where 2 tractor trailers ran into 2 EMS vehicles
By Dean Hensley
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POLK COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Two cows are dead following early-morning Sept. 25 accident where two tractor-trailers collided into two Polk County EMS vehicles that were working another accident on Interstate 26 East, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
“The cows had to be euthanized due to the severity of their injuries. Animal Services was on scene to do the euthanizations,” Trooper Brandon Bingle told News 13.
The accident shut down the interstate for several hours. Bingle said that Interstate 26 East was expected to be back open by 4 p.m.
Bingle said there were 34 cows on the tractor trailer, whose driver was from Indiana. He was transporting the cows to South Carolina, Bingle said. The driver was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
Bingle said the morning started with a crash that was called in at 7:45 a.m. at mile marker 66 on Interstate 26, and two Polk EMS units responded.
“At 8:05 a.m., two tractor trailers ended up colliding after one tried to reduce speed and move over due to the accident on the shoulder of the interstate,” Bingle said. “The other tractor trailer tried to reduce speed but wasn’t able to in time and collided with the other one.”
Polk County Government spokesperson Kellie Cannon was also on the scene and said two cattle transport trucks arrived later in the day to transfer the cattle. This kept I-26 East shut down., which backed up traffic for miles.
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