Screenshot via 11 Alive/YouTube
When a tractor-trailer filled with cattle flipped on I-285 early this morning, releasing dozens of animals out onto the interstate and surrounding area, it wasn’t the first time cows had been unleashed onto an Atlanta interstate. Heck, it wasn’t even the first time this year. But this incident was larger than the accidents that released cows onto I-75 in May and I-285 in June—89 cows were on the truck when it flipped around 3:30 a.m. in a multi-vehicle crash on the 285 East ramp to I-75. WSB-TV reported around 8 a.m. that 7 had been killed (this number was later upgraded to 11) and dozens were still on the loose, hours after the accident. The driver was injured and taken to the hospital.
I-285 EB near I-75. Traffic is backed up due to an overturned TT and have released a lot of cattle. This cow is at the bridge over the Chattahoochee River, right at the Cobb county line heading west. Our maintenance truck is blocking the cow in to keep it safe. @GADeptofTrans pic.twitter.com/6wZGkseAzy
— Georgia DOT ATL (@GDOTATL) October 1, 2018
#BREAKING UPDATE: As many as 70 cows on the loose in metro #Atlanta after cattle truck overturns on major interstate. Latest here: https://t.co/hMqZrZ6kJk. pic.twitter.com/2j6jYyNAWX
— WSB Radio (@wsbradio) October 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/SteveGWSB/status/1046672463319502848
https://twitter.com/MarkArum/status/1046690282656485376
Unexpected Monday: Saw a cow running down I-75N around exit 259. Police crews attempting to herd it. @johnjspink @ajc @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/8Q4UMEQV3R
— Anna Tucker (@annaetucker) October 1, 2018
Cows were spotted near the Chattahoochee River, and the AJC reported that one cow on I-75 near Cumberland Boulevard charged at the crew trying to rescue it. Two cows were caught at the SunTrust Bank on Northside Drive near I-285.
How's your #Monday starting? @SteveGWSB is live at the scene of a search for cows, 2 of which ran toward him, after a truck hauling them tipped over on I-285. https://t.co/qA7oGi4Qwh Live updates throughout the AM on @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/MCqbHCGWOZ
— Nicole Emmett (@Nicole_Emmett) October 1, 2018
At around 9 a.m., WSB-TV’s Steve Gehlbach reported 24 cows were rescued from the back of the truck, meaning that fewer were on the loose than previously reported.
BREAKING: Just saw total of 24 live cows removed from cattle trailer. Makes number unaccounted for more like 50 instead of 70+ like originally thought @MarkArum @WSBTraffic #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/Z3eHPwWfLj
— Steve Gehlbach (@SteveGWSB) October 1, 2018
The Georgia Department of Transportation kept Atlantans updated on the situation through social media, showing where Cobb County firemen sawed off the back of the trailer to rescue the cows still trapped inside, as well as “real cowboys” wrangling the animals into trailers.
Crews are still working to get this crashed cleared and get the cattle removed safely. Right here on the 75 North ramp to I-285 EB pic.twitter.com/MNsRFxTv4a
— Georgia DOT (@GADeptofTrans) October 1, 2018
Cobb Fire is working to saw through the overturned TT to get more of the cattle released. pic.twitter.com/hfG0IJRasz
— Georgia DOT (@GADeptofTrans) October 1, 2018
Getting the cows into the cattle trailer safely. pic.twitter.com/EiIEWK7xrn
— Georgia DOT (@GADeptofTrans) October 1, 2018
More are still being removed from the overturned TT. pic.twitter.com/eJfAsM8AYa
— Georgia DOT (@GADeptofTrans) October 1, 2018
Around 11:40 a.m., crews finally got the tractor-trailer upright.
There we go! The TT is upright! pic.twitter.com/maxMMQgUqZ
— Georgia DOT (@GADeptofTrans) October 1, 2018
"I never thought I'd be tracking cows from a helicopter" NewsChopper 2's @JasonDurdenWSB during a liveshot. The rogue cow took a dip in a river off of Powers Ferry Road in North Fulton County.
WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/RAqiHsAYU2
Continuing UPDATES on Channel 2 Action News. pic.twitter.com/CJSw2xhDgv
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) October 1, 2018
Crews continued to clean up the scene of the crash and round up the lost cows throughout Monday afternoon. And while the situation was certainly sad, many still took to social media with the typical lightheartedness that follows an unusual traffic jam, complete with terrible puns and Chick-fil-A references.
The idea of cows on the interstate is odd enough, but the photo makes them look like zombie cows, which is Peak Georgia. pic.twitter.com/MSFtWoQBkF
— Jay Busbee (@jaybusbee) October 1, 2018
The cows are nice, but I still have the downtown zebra and highway tiger atop my all-time Animals On the Loose in Atlanta rankings. https://t.co/jn2U5O0mBj pic.twitter.com/Auclme0qIf
— Jon Anker (@jmanker) October 1, 2018
The Chick-Fil-A cows have had enough https://t.co/Ol6WkbxtOR
— Suge Night Shyamalan (@B_Effin_G) October 1, 2018
Only in Atlanta when I have to travel to the other side of town do I have to leave 2 hours early because of an overturned tractor trailer carrying cows shut down 285.
— Tameka L Williamson, PMP, LSSBB (@IAmCoachTwill) October 1, 2018
Many officers have responded, but their standard police gear doesn't include what you need to lasso a cow. https://t.co/xRdlvtpVvb
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 1, 2018
I’ve seen some suspicious cows off 85N. Should check them out. pic.twitter.com/Q7zwjf8Clr
— Schizorabbit1 (@schizorabbit1) October 1, 2018
Chick-Fil-A gone too far with the marketing, leaving Cows all over 285 smh
— Chimaek (@awwhalenawl) October 1, 2018
If you're in Atlanta on I-285, you might want to moooo-ve out of the way for any cows you might come across! Up to 70 cows could still be on the loose after a livestock truck overturned, backing up traffic, causing a cow-lamity. https://t.co/6W98BFC7xf
— The Daily Progress (@DailyProgress) October 1, 2018
Cows on 285 pic.twitter.com/oBoStqls7l
— Mitchell Webb (@WebbSlinger22) October 1, 2018
You should have had some backup… #CattleDog pic.twitter.com/T43oGajtiL
— FeedJake14 (@FeedJake14) October 1, 2018
World record in cow tipping made today on Atlanta interstate…….
— Robert Johnson (@thewookie1) October 1, 2018
Is this not one of the signs of the Apocalypse? Or just one of Moses’ plagues?
— Emoluments Clause (@KenThomasRoss) October 1, 2018
Atlanta traffic never surprises me. Last year 85 was on fire, now 285 has cows running across it.
— Paid In Bitcoin (@SaintCrypto_) October 1, 2018
Utterly terrible way to start a Morning.
— Don Stugots (@donstugots) October 1, 2018
Talk about having to moo-ve over: udder chaos this morning on I-285 EB in #GA, near #Atlanta, after a tractor trailer carrying cows flipped. More than 70 of those cows spilled out onto the highway.
Some cows have been caught. Local officials are steering the search for the rest.
— Nichole Davis (@NicholeDWBZ) October 1, 2018
Oh, and as usual, someone made a Twitter account for one of the escaped cows, @AtlNot.
I LOVE THIS CITY (AND ALSO BEING A NON-BOVINE PERSON WHO IS DEFINITELY NOT AN ESACAPED COW)!!! Off to the aquarium. @wsbtv @CNN @USATODAY #Atlanta #cows #road #highway pic.twitter.com/tMHJYN12Os
— NotACowAtl (@AtlNot) October 1, 2018
@ajc @ap any updates on this cow disaster? Personally, I’m not a cow fan, but now that they are here, maybe we should just let them cowhabitate with us. Just food for thought. #atl #highway #cows #defnotacow pic.twitter.com/VYQZwy1GzW
— NotACowAtl (@AtlNot) October 1, 2018
According to the AJC, 11 cows were killed in the accident and by 4 p.m., all but one had been captured.
