Fifty-six cattle have been rounded up after a truck collided with a rock tunnel west of Fernie on Friday night.
The tractor trailer was hauling about 64 live cattle to Alberta on Friday when the right side of the vehicle made contact with the rock tunnel on Highway 3 near Elko.
Elk Valley RCMP said 13 cattle were dislodged from the trailer, which suffered significant damage and scattered rock debris on the highway.
Fifty-one cows were rounded up and continued on their way to Alberta, while five wandered off but were later accounted for.
Tragically, eight cows had to be destroyed due to their injuries.
There were no other injuries or vehicles involved in the accident.
The RCMP has thanked the following agencies for their assistance: emergency veterinarian service; fire department, emergency health services; the Canadian Food Inspection Agency; highway departments; and Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement.
Investigation into stolen vehicles continues
In other police news, Elk Valley RCMP and Calgary Police Service continue to investigate a string of vehicle thefts in the area since the end of August.
To date, four vehicles have been recovered.
The RCMP has not received any new reports of stolen vehicles since the start of September.
Anyone with information regarding the stolen vehicles is encouraged to contact the Fernie RCMP detachment at 250-423-4404.
Pair steal from thrift store
The RCMP is also seeking public assistance to identify two male “desperadoes” who have been caught on camera stealing from donation boxes behind the Sparwood thrift store.
If you recognize the individuals, along with an associated vehicle, you are encouraged to contact the Sparwood RCMP at 250-425-6233.
You may wish to remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
