Animals wander into woods after ASPCA truck crashes on Interstate 40, NC officials say
Animals wandered into the woods on Wednesday after a truck that had been transporting them crashed in the North Carolina mountains, officials said.
A driver was going east on Interstate 40 when the truck had a problem with its left front tire, sending it slamming into a concrete barrier, according to Master Trooper Brian Anthony of the N.C. State Highway Patrol.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in a statement said five animals died and more than two dozen others were reunited with their families after the nonprofit’s “spay/neuter transport” vehicle crashed.
As of Thursday morning, at least one cat and six dogs were still reported missing. Some fled into woods in the Old Fort area, roughly 25 miles east of Asheville, according to McDowell County Emergency Management.
“There was one wiener dog that was actually running east on I-40 down the mountain by himself and people were trying to get him,” Wesley Aulet, who was at the crash scene, told WLOS. “There were also several dogs running north towards Black Mountain. People were doing the same thing there, trying to corral them up, gather them so they weren’t running astray.”
The nonprofit in a statement said it is working with animal officials to get the missing animals to their homes.
“ASPCA staff was also on the scene (Wednesday) night and continues to be present with food, water, cameras, humane traps, and other equipment,” officials said. “Our top priority is the safety of our employees and the animals in our care, and we take full responsibility for their safety.”
Now, hikers in the Catawba Falls and Kitsuma Trail areas are asked to be on the lookout for stray animals. Officials also urge I-40 drivers to report dogs or cats they spot to 828-652-4000.
The wreck, which was reported at about 11 a.m. Wednesday, closed several lanes on I-40. The area started to reopen for traffic that afternoon, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation and McDowell County officials.
The ASPCA truck was left with front-end damage, and the driver was airlifted to an Asheville hospital, The McDowell News reported. A passenger had minor injuries in the wreck, state troopers said.
The animal group said the vehicle that crashed “was relatively new, passed all of its inspections, and the driver was highly experienced.”
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 9:31 AM with the headline "Animals wander into woods after ASPCA truck crashes on Interstate 40, NC officials say."
