Cattle Escape When Semi Crashes Near Bartlesville

A semi truck carrying 79 head of cattle crashed on Highway 75 about a mile south of Bartlesville Tuesday morning.

The crash happened just after 7 a.m. on a stretch of 75 where it narrows from a divided highway to two lanes in each direction.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the 1997 Western Star semi pulling a cattle hauler hit a culvert and took out a power pole when it went off the highway and rolled onto its side. PSO workers replaced the pole.

Officers said a number of cattle in the truck escaped but all but two dozen cows were quickly rounded up.  Volunteers looked for remaining cattle in a nearby neighborhood and in a field across the highway. Officials say at least four cows inside the truck were killed and several others had to be put down.

Bartlesville Fire Department said 100-200 gallons of diesel fuel spilled in the crash. Cleanup is expected to take until Tuesday evening.

"Were going to be tied up here for several hours. Slow your traffic down coming into the city of Bartlesville please because we got emergency workers on hand," said Assistant Fire Chief Bill Hollander.

The OHP says the semi's driver, Steven Lindsey, 38, of Walnut, Kansas was taken to a Tulsa hospital where he was treated for a leg injury and released.  A passenger, Steven Daniels, 60, of Columbus, Kansas who was in the sleeper compartment of the truck's cab was taken to a Bartlesville hospital where he was admitted. 

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says an investigation into what caused the truck to run off the highway remains under investigation.