(Spirit Lake)– A semi rollover earlier this week on Highway 86 at the Iowa/Minnesota border injured the driver and killed some hogs the rig was transporting.
The Iowa State Patrol says 22-year-old Michael Brown of Sioux City was driving a 2001 semi tractor pulling a trailer loaded with hogs southbound when he attempted to negotiate a left hand curve where the road curves south into Iowa. Troopers say Brown then lost control of the rig, which rolled onto its side, crushing a sign in the process.
Several hogs being carried in the trailer escaped and had to be rounded up by emergency management officials, deputies with the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters. 49 other hogs weren’t as fortunate—they were killed in the crash.
Brown refused treatment. A passenger, 21-year-old Daniel Ohrt, was taken by ambulance to Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake with non-incapacitating injuries.
D.O.T, DCI and paramedics assisted on the scene as well.
$6,500 in damage was estimated to the semi owned by Kunkel Trucking, Incorporated of LeMars; $100 in damage was estimated to the sign owned by the state of Iowa.
Brown was cited for failure to maintain control.
The crash took place shortly after 3:00 p.m. Wednesday.
