Loose longhorn snarls Modesto highway traffic

A steer running loose along Highway 99 stopped traffic Saturday afternoon before being shot by officers.

At 1:38 p.m., reports of a steer running free on the streets of Modesto began to come in to Modesto police. Sgt. Mark Weiglein said the brown-and-white Texas longhorn was spotted at Tully Road and Pelandale Avenue running down the middle of the road, and then again on Dale Road moving toward Standiford Avenue before entering Highway 99 near the Beckwith Road overpass.

Modesto police and California Highway Patrol stopped traffic along Highway 99 as the steer ran southbound along the freeway about 1:55 p.m. Some “cowboys,” as described by Modesto police, tried to help lasso the animal as attempts were made to corral it off the highway. The rancher, whose identity is not known at this time, gave Modesto police permission to put down the animal.

“That’s the last thing we wanted to do. The officers out there weren’t equipped to wrangle the steer in. It was down in a ravine in a safe backdrop, and we feared it would get back on highway. So the on-site supervisor made the decision,” Weiglein said.

Weiglein said Animal Services was called, but could not respond in time to help. It is unknown at this time from where and how the animal initially escaped.

Traffic was stopped for about 15 minutes on Highway 99 as officers dealt with the situation.

“You know we’ve had animals get loose a few times before from some area ranches. It’s rare, it’s not never,” Weiglein said. “This was the last thing we wanted to do. But the more time it took, the more danger it was to traffic.”

This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Loose longhorn snarls Modesto highway traffic."