HURRICANE – A cow was killed and a truck totaled Wednesday evening when the truck struck the cow on a dark stretch of Sand Hollow Road in Hurricane.
Shortly after 7:45 p.m., an 84-year-old man and his 74-year-old woman passenger were traveling in a red 2005 Dodge Ram on South Sand Hollow Road when they collided with a cow wandering in the roadway, Hurricane City Police Sgt. Brandon Buell said.
“That area out there is an open range area,” Buell said. “As the driver was traveling on that back road, he looked up, saw a cow in the road and was unable to react prior to hitting the cow.”
Both the driver and passenger were wearing seatbelts. The woman complained of minor injuries related to the seatbelt, however, both the man and woman refused medical transport, Buell said.
“The driver stated he was going actually below the speed limit,” Buell said, “and just didn’t see the cow in the road.”
The cow was deceased at the time officers arrived, he said. The cow’s owner was contacted and came and took care of the cow.
The Dodge Ram was totaled and was towed from the scene.
No citations were issued, Buell said.
The cow, the farmer or the motorist: who’s responsible?
In open range areas, a motorist must yield to livestock, according to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.
Open Range, as defined by Utah Code 47-2-2, means all land not privately owned, and includes all roads, outside of private enclosures, used by the public, whether the same have been formally dedicated to the public or not.
According to past court history and tradition, the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food said on its website, the vehicle owner pays for any damages to the vehicle and the cow or otherwise, must be determined in civil court.
This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement and witnesses and may not contain the full scope of findings.
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“…and his 74 year old woman”… His wife or “a 74 year old woman who was his passenger???
It’s funny that the driver has to pay for “damages to the cow”. As though he’s Humpty Dumpty and they can just put him back together. Anyway, glad the couple wasn’t badly injured, and sorry to hear about Ol’ Bessie. Poor cow.
Mmmm BBQ
My family and i won’t drive this road after dark for this exact reason. I passed one of these cows in broad daylight and it startled me to find it grazing on the side of the road. I mentioned to my family that a dark road and a black cow is not a good combination. I am glad the people weren’t hurt and I am sorry for the loss of an expensive animal.
Seeing the cow had the right of way, I can only assume its last words were MOOOOve.
Sounds like one of those situations where a true, unavoidable accident occurred.
Wow I didn’t know cows could talk. oh wait a minute its a joke. Ok got it