Horses Shut Down I-680 During Morning Commute

WALNUT CREEK, CA — Oh, Mondays. You keep us on our toes!

In the East Bay today, that meant a surreal news day.

Most of us awoke to news of a deadly, 4-alarm fire in Oakland.

>> 3 Dead, More Than 80 Escape 4-Alarm West Oakland Fire

Then BART suspended service because a downed power line blocked the tracks into and out of the transbay tube. The result was transit bedlam as riders scrambled for buses, Lyft and other options into San Francisco.

>>Latest: East Bay BART Service Restored; 'Major' Delays

And there was this -

Yep, horses galloping on I-680 in Walnut Creek.

The horses began their joy-romp through the streets of Alamo, and then merged onto northbound 680.

The CHP, Walnut Creek Police and Contra Costa County Animal Services teamed up to round up the pair, who were returned to their owner. It was all over by about 8:30.

The horses were not injured.

Commuters are used to delays anyway, and most were bemused by the spectacle, even though it caused a monumental traffic backup. Jan Van Dusen expressed her support of the CHP on their Facebook page, writing, "I'm SO glad the freeway was shut down and the horses weren't injured. I believe commuters inconvenienced by the shutdown were also relieved the horses were not injured. I hope the same approach is taken for other animals that disrupt commute traffic."

Mary Holochwost-Carter was also glad that the horses were safe, "Growing up on a ranch, I know these things happen. Glad the two Houdini's made it home safely from their walk about."

-Image by CHP Contra Costa