SPANISH FORK, Utah — Drivers going through Spanish Fork on Interstate 15 Tuesday morning had an interesting and sometimes scary experience after several cows got loose on the freeway.
“For us it was a pretty surprising call — to know about seven cows running on the freeway,” said Trooper Davies Sanchez with the Utah Highway Patrol.
Those calls, which Sanchez said came into Utah County dispatchers around 5:30 a.m., quickly became much more concerning.
“[It went] from cows running on the freeway to vehicles striking the cows and crashing into them,” Sanchez said.
He said it can be like going out blindfolded to such a strange scene.
“We can’t anticipate a call that some of us have never dealt with before,” said Sanchez.
Four cows were killed, but he said troopers rushed to the scene along with Springville Police and helped three others escape.
Only one person in the seven vehicles involved had minor injuries, but still, Sanchez reminds drivers to expect the unexpected.
“Wear your seatbelt,” he said. “If it wasn’t because of people were wearing their seatbelt, maybe we would’ve had more serious injuries — and put your phones away.”
Now, their investigation turns toward searching for clues to figure out where the cows came from. He explained what that process looks like in these situations.
“Normally with a dog or a cat, you should be able to find a collar, a dog tag — anything, right?” said Sanchez. “It is the same way with farm animals.”
UHP believes the cows are from Springville. But until they find the owner, they can’t determine who’s at fault — or how drivers affected may be compensated.
“A lot of that comes back to the evidence we find on scene and trying to track that to the person who initiated the whole thing,” Sanchez said.
Meanwhile, Sanchez urges continued caution on the roads, as you never know what your commute may bring.
“Sometimes, we can’t do anything about debris or about animals… In this case, seven cows on the road,” said Sanchez. “Pay attention to the road, that way you can prepare to react the best way possible.”
