Emergency officials in Greenbrier County say 19 cattle that escaped from a nearby farm were killed after being hit by a pair of tractor trailers on Interstate 64 around 1:43 a.m. Wednesday morning. The cattle apparently slipped away from an Alta farm through a broken fence. Sixteen of the cattle were killed instantly after being struck by the trucks. Three others had to be euthanized due to the severity of their injuries.
The incident was reported to the 911 Center just before 2 a.m., according to Sheriff Jan Cahill. One truck driver was treated and released for minor injuries at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center. The second driver was unharmed. Cahill said both of the 18-wheelers were totaled. The names of the drivers were not available.
I-64 eastbound was closed until approximately 5 a.m. as crews worked to clear the roadway.
The cattle belonged to High Hill Farm, owned by Gary Tuckwiller, Cahill said.