Driver, Cattle Escape Injury in Crash in Kinmundy

Kinmundy Police say both the driver of the truck and eight head of cattle being hauled in a trailer escaped injury when the truck ran into the roadside ditch trying to avoid a riding lawn mower in the road.

Police Chief Joe Duffy reports 29-year-old Jacob Hotze of Teutopolis was traveling southbound on Illinois Route 37 coming around the curve at the Kin-Lou Road intersection when he swerved to avoid the riding lawn mower. The weight of the cattle shifting apparently helped pull the truck onto its side.

The driver called for help and several people gathered to put up a fenced area to get the cows who had fallen on top of each other out of the trailer. They were then loaded into a second trailer.

Landers Towing then pulled the truck and trailer out of the ditch. Duffy says the truck sustained a very small amount of damage.

The incident was reported at 11am Thursday.