Illinois State Police said a 51-year-old Virginia man was charged with driving under the influence of drugs after his cattle hauler went off the roadway, split open and threw cows onto an interstate.
The accident happened Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 80 in Joliet, about 35 miles southwest of Chicago.
Bradley Pate, 51, of Waynesboro, Virginia, was charged with driving under the influence of drugs and was issued citations for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and improper lane usage, according to Illinois State Police.
According to ISP, Pate went off the roadway and struck a disabled semitrailer on the right shoulder, then continued driving and hit a 2003 white Honda Coupe.
Pate was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Police said the cattle hauler’s trailer was torn open due to the crash, and about 16 cows were thrown onto the interstate. ISP units put down two of the cows due to injuries.
Local farmers on horseback helped police gather the remaining cattle and haul them away to a local storage location.
All eastbound lanes of the interstate were closed for an extended period of time.
