Escaped cattle walk on to highway, sparking 3 car crashes and 25 animal deaths in North Dakota

Cattle escaped a North Dakota pasture Monday and wandered onto the interstate, causing a three-vehicle crash and leading to the death of 25 animals.

The incident happened around 1 a.m. Monday, the North Dakota State Highway Patrol said in a news release, when a large amount of cattle left a pasture next to Interstate 94, exit 190, near Driscoll. 

A group of cattle gathered under an overpass when they were struck by a semi-truck carrying refrigerated produce, the agency said. The semi entered the median and overturned, causing a small fire to start. The fire was immediately put out and the driver, 57-year-old Ewert Nel, was not hurt. He was wearing his seatbelt, the agency said.

The roadway was closed for at least four hours in wake of the crash.

Kaycee Anderson, a driver in a 2024 Ford Escape who was also traveling east on I-94, hit the cattle. The 26-year-old was wearing her seatbelt and suffered minor cuts and bruises. She was taken to the hospital.

Lastly, Dina Diamanti, 41, was westbound in a 2014 Ford Fusion when she hit the cattle. In the car with her were a 20-year-old and two teenagers. Everyone in the vehicle wore a seatbelt, but each person was taken to the hospital for possibly minor injuries, the agency said.

The escaped cattle and vehicles blocked both I-94 lanes under exit 190, the agency said.

The roadway was closed at 1 a.m., the agency said. The westbound lane reopened just over four hours later, while the eastbound lane took about five hours to reopen.

The North Dakota State Highway Patrol said none of the drivers will be charged. 

The agency said in its news release that 60-year-old Gerald Schmidt owns the cattle and altogether, 25 were killed Monday. Schmidt, the cattle owner, will not face charges, Sgt. Jeremiah Bohn from the North Dakota State Highway Patrol confirmed to USA TODAY Wednesday morning.

"The fence was properly maintained, the cattle were overly persistent in getting out," Bohn wrote in an email Wednesday morning. "Black cattle are nearly impossible to see at night."

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at@SaleenMartin or email her atsdmartin@usatoday.com.