4 Hurt When Vehicles Hit Cattle on Freeway

Five cattle wandered onto the Golden State Freeway in Castaic late Friday night and were struck and killed by two vehicles in collisions that injured four people and tied up traffic for more than two hours, authorities said.

The accident occurred at 11:57 p.m. when a pickup traveling south struck at least one of the animals and went over a guardrail and down a 200-foot embankment, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Mike Carrick.

The driver of the truck, Derrick Ward, 33, of Pacifica, and a passenger, Joseph Roque, 46, of San Francisco, were taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in Santa Clarita.

Roque suffered two broken legs along with head and chest injuries and was in satisfactory condition Saturday. Ward was admitted for observation for a possible bruised heart, a hospital spokesman said.

A search and rescue team from the Sheriff’s Department pulled the two men from the embankment, Carrick said.

Another car struck the cattle and two occupants were treated for minor injuries, authorities said.

While the freeway was being cleared, traffic was backed up on the southbound lanes for two to three miles, Carrick said. At one point, only one lane was open while Caltrans and county animal control workers removed the five animal carcasses. All lanes were reopened shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday.

“In that particular area there are a number of cattle that are fenced in the range,” Carrick said. “Apparently they escaped.”

Carrick said injuries from the accident could have been much worse.