DUPONT, Wash. — Pierce County drivers had a fowl experience on their morning commutes after a truck hauling chickens flipped and sent the poultry all over Interstate 5.
No humans were harmed during the incident, but the same cannot be said for the birds.
The truck went off the road near the Mounts Road exit and plowed through a guard rail, pole and electrical box.
The road was cleared after hours of work but a slew of feathers still remain.
“You know, it’s just… It was sad,” Lupita Anguiano said.
Anguiano was one of the drivers who was stuck in the traffic following the crash.
She recorded video of hundreds of chickens piled up on the side of the road during the cleanup effort.
Most were dead, but some were still moving around.
“There were still a lot of chickens laying there. It was actually kind of sad. There were still a lot alive, but just like sitting there,” she said. “But a lot were dead. It was kind of sad. I saw poles laying, they were crushed. It was crazy.”
According to Washington State Patrol, the truck’s driver fell asleep at the wheel around 1 a.m. and crashed.
Over the following hours, I-5’s northbound lanes saw complete and partial closure while crews cleared the road, backing up traffic for about four miles.
All told, the incident added about 40 minutes to Anguiano’s commute.
“All because of these ch- well, the driver,” she said.
WSP said the driver was cited for second-degree negligent driving, which carries a penalty of up to $250.
The surviving chickens were loaded onto a different truck, but a spokesperson could not reveal their final destination.
“I hope they send them to a safe place,” Anguiano said.
WSP reports the final death toll stands at around 200 chickens.
A spokesperson was not sure how many survived.
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