BUCHANAN COUNTY – One cow tragically is now deceased and dozens of his traveling pals had to be taken for evaluation after an Minnesota truck driver lost control of his rig and overturned in an Iowa yard.
On Monday, July 15, 2024 at approximately 8:40 AM, the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 report of a motor vehicle accident in the 100 block Main Street (Otterville Blvd) in Otterville. It was reported that a semi-truck with a livestock trailer had gone off the road and tipped onto its side, and that there were some cattle running loose in the immediate area as a result. According to the investigation, a 2009 Peterbuilt semi operated by Joseph Wenner of Comfrey, Minnesota, was traveling southeast on Otterville Blvd when Wenner lost control of the vehicle. The semi crossed over into the opposite lane and struck the east side of the bridge railing, running along the bridge rail before overturning onto its driver side in the ditch alongside a residential yard.
Wenner was uninjured in the accident.
The semi was carrying approximately 64 head of cattle. One cow was deceased at the scene. The other cattle were loaded onto other cattle trailers and taken to an area farm to be evaluated.
The roadway was closed for approximately four hours while the scene was cleaned up and the cattle were corralled. Wenner was later cited for Failure to Maintain Control.
The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Iowa State Patrol, Independence Fire Department, AMR Ambulance, Buchanan County Secondary Roads and Tegeler Wrecker and Crane.
(PHOTO of the crashed truck via the sheriff’s office.)