Livestock Roam I-80 In Joliet After Semi Wreck: 'It Was Interesting'

JOLIET, IL — Interstate 80 heading east was closed late Tuesday afternoon after a semi-trailer carrying livestock rear-ended another semi, causing a huge wreck, Joliet Fire Chief Greg Blaskey informed Joliet Patch. It happened around 3:40 p.m. between Houbolt Road and Larkin Avenue.

The driver hauling the cattle suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash, according to the Illinois State Police.

Blaskey said that several cows were dead at the scene, while several other cattle escaped. Joliet police and Illinois State Police were on the scene trying to corral the roaming livestock, the fire chief said. The driver of the semi carrying the livestock was taken by Joliet Fire Department ambulance to Ascension St. Joe's hospital, Blaskey said.

Joliet Patch asked if Blaskey knew the number of livestock cattle that were roaming free.

"No, no, no," he replied. "I think they're still out there catching and counting."

Around 8:30 p.m., Rockdale Police Robert Dykstra told Joliet Patch that several area cowboys and ranchers from Channahon, Peotone and Sheridan came to the crash with lassos to help roundup the cattle that got loose when the semi-trailer rolled over.

"I heard there were just two or three that died," Dykstra said of the total number of livestock fatalities from the wreck.

Rockdale's police chief said it was his understanding that 15 to 20 cattle got loose on Interstate 80.

With enormous help from the cowboys, they were all captured fairly quickly, he said.

"I think there were still a bunch within the truck as well," Dykstra added.

"It was interesting," Dykstra said. "I haven't seen cows, cowboys or horses on Interstate 80 before."

The Illinois State Police issued a news release stating that the wreck happened at 3:38 p.m. on I-80 just east of Houbolt Road.

"ISP District 5 Troopers responded to the above location for a three-vehicle crash involving a cattle hauler," Illinois State Police announced. "Numerous cattle are loose in the eastbound lanes. Currently all eastbound lanes are shut down from Houbolt Road to Larkin Avenue, and will be for an extended period of time. The driver of the cattle hauler was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. No other injuries were reported."

I-80 traffic heading east toward New Lenox was reopened at 9:32 p.m.

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