A runaway cow was corralled to safety on a Detroit-area freeway after making a daring escape from a farm on May 22.
Michigan State Police (MSP) troopers briefly closed the northbound Interstate 75 in Holly until a cowboy came to the rescue and safely guided the cow off the busy freeway and back to its home.
The escapade unfolded around 2:50 p.m. when the MSP received a request for traffic control on I-75 near Belford Road.
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) officials believe the cow managed to jump over a low-lying guardrail and ended up on the freeway near Grange Hall Road.
“A team of wranglers, reminiscent of the cast of Yellowstone, tried to wrangle a cow that had become stuck in a gravel pit on Belford Road. Troopers were on standby to stop traffic on I-75 if necessary,” the MSP wrote on Twitter.
Despite the efforts of the wranglers, who had horses and four-wheelers, they were unable to capture the cow, which outsmarted its pursuers and made its way onto the northbound lanes of I-75.
As seen from a deputies’ dashcam video, the wranglers proceeded to chase the cow across all lanes of travel, using four-wheelers, horses and lassos. For the safety of everyone involved, troopers shut down both northbound and southbound lanes of the freeway.
As seen on the video, an ATV rider and a cowboy attempted to capture the cow on the right lane shoulder, but the cow dashed toward oncoming traffic on the I-75. Undeterred, the cowboy skillfully twirled his lasso and successfully roped the cow before it crossed over the median.
The cow was finally apprehended and safely removed from the freeway. Troopers reopened the road, and normal traffic flow resumed.
“The bovine was not charged and is back in the pasture with a story to tell all the other livestock,” MSP humorously stated.
MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross expressed relief over the incident. “It’s quite a unique thing. How that cow didn’t get hit, thank goodness,” she said.
Cows escaping onto the roads are becoming a concerning trend for motorists and police in Michigan.
A week prior, motorists reported seeing a cow near the I-75 wandering on 70 acres of private, unfenced land. The incident took place just two miles from the most recent occurrence.
In April, Grosse Ile police killed a runaway bull after it recklessly charged through neighborhoods on the Wayne County island.
A team of six police officers, two animal control officials, a veterinarian, several firefighters and residents tried to contain the animal for around seven hours with fencing and a portable pen but were unsuccessful.
“The bull, which was demonstrating unpredictable behaviors, was exposed to children, drivers and domesticated animals as it ran through yards, onto patios and across roadways,” Grosse Ile officials said.
