‘I don’t know how we are alive.’ SC family crashes into 7 cows in middle of road
A South Carolina family walked away from a Saturday evening crash after they hit seven cows that were in the middle of a Horry County highway.
The Schulze family were on their way to Marion from Myrtle Beach when they came upon the black Angus cattle running across S.C. 22, between U.S. 501 and S.C. 319, in the Aynor area, Heather Schulze said. Her husband, who was driving, slammed on his brakes, but it was too late.
Their 14-year-old son also was in the vehicle, which was totaled in the crash.
“I don’t know how we are alive,” Schulze said. “I can’t believe it’s real.”
All seven cows died. Another cow was also killed in a crash that happened earlier in the day, Schulze said she was told by police.
There are six cows still on the loose, according to a text Monday from Horry County public information officer Thomas Bell. They are “actively working to capture them” and Horry County Police is assisting, he said.
However, it is unclear who “they” might be. It is also not known how the cows got out or where they came from.
Bell said he didn’t have that information, but “I can add the situation is under investigation.”
Signage was placed along the roadway warning drivers to slow down because of the cows, Bell said previously. Horry County Police posted on its Facebook page at 10:39 p.m. Saturday that several cows were roaming the area of the highway that runs parallel with Horry Road in the Aynor area.
Schulze said the signs were placed along the roadway after their accident. She doesn’t understand why drivers weren’t notified after the first crash.
“They knew these cattle were loose,” Schulze said. “It was completely avoidable.”
The speed limit on S.C. 22 is 65 mph. Schulze’s husband was driving about 68 mph when the crash occurred, she said. The cows, though on the smaller side, were estimated to weight about 400 to 500 pounds each, Schulze said.
The highway was shut down while rescue crews handled the crash and removed the cows.
For the Schulzes, they are now waiting on insurance. Their vehicle, which was brand new, was badly damaged and not drivable, Schulze said.
“I was raised in cow country in Ohio,” and didn’t have any problem with them, Schulze said. “I move to South Carolina and I hit cows.”
