SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — The driver of a tractor-trailer carrying cows fell asleep at the wheel and crashed on I-75 in Sumter County Thursday morning, resulting in some cows running free on the highway, troopers said.
Deputies said the crash, which occurred between mile markers 321 and 329, shut down both directions of the highway for nearly five hours.
Officials said they were able to capture most of the estimated 83 cows that were in the trailer, but there are still a few on the loose.
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“We had to call some handlers, cowboys, and they had to come out and handle some of the cows,” Trooper Andrew Schmitt said.
Skywitness 9 captured live footage of the wrangling.
WATCH LIVE: Wranglers are working to free cows after tractor-trailer crash on I-75WATCH LIVE: Wranglers are working to free cows from a tractor-trailer that crashed on I-75 Thursday morning. READ MORE: at.wftv.com/2w9VqZK
Posted by WFTV Channel 9 on Thursday, February 13, 2020
Schmitt said the remaining cows are in a fenced-in field where they cannot run back onto the highway.
Troopers said the the crash remains under investigation, and so far no charges have been filed against the truck driver.
Drivers said they were stuck on the highway for hours waiting for the crash to be cleaned up.
“Just trying to figure out a better way to get around this mess,” driver Tony Kelley said.
Stay tuned to Eyewitness News for updates.
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