California

Pig-hauling big-rig overturns on I-80, sending swine onto freeway in the Sierra

By The Sacramento Bee
Several pigs roam beside westbound Interstate 80 south of Colfax on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, after escaping from an overturned semi hauling livestock late Monday in Placer County. The crash closed the westbound freeway for hours as crews rounded up the animals and cleared the wreckage.
Several pigs roam beside westbound Interstate 80 south of Colfax on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, after escaping from an overturned semi hauling livestock late Monday in Placer County. The crash closed the westbound freeway for hours as crews rounded up the animals and cleared the wreckage. Steve Couts

A truckload of pigs turned into an unexpected traffic problem on Interstate 80 after a semi overturned near Colfax late Monday, leaving several of the animals loose and forcing crews to corral them before reopening the freeway.

The crash happened shortly before 11:30 p.m. on westbound Interstate 80 just west of Cape Horn, according to the California Highway Patrol. The big rig struck a guardrail and overturned, blocking both westbound lanes.

Steve Couts, of Redding, said he was driving along the freeway behind the big-rig when it crashed. He said the semi appeared to be traveling too fast through a construction zone before overturning.

Couts said he stopped to help the driver, whose door was jammed shut after the crash. He said the driver did not appear to be seriously injured though at least one person was taken to Sutter Roseville Medical Center with injuries, according to the CHP’s incident log.

A heavy-duty tow truck works to upright a semi hauling pigs after it overturned on westbound Interstate 80 on Monday, June 22, 2026, near Colfax. The crash shut down the freeway while crews recovered escaped livestock and cleared the scene.
A heavy-duty tow truck works to upright a semi hauling pigs after it overturned on westbound Interstate 80 on Monday, June 22, 2026, near Colfax. The crash shut down the freeway while crews recovered escaped livestock and cleared the scene. Steve Couts

CHP dispatch logs reported several pigs escaped from the trailer and had wandered onto the freeway and into nearby woods. Officers requested animal control after receiving reports of four to five pigs in the roadway, while other animals remained trapped inside the trailer.

Video recorded by Couts shows pigs roaming on and around the freeway while other swine trapped inside the overturned trailer could be heard squealing.

Escaped pigs wander across westbound Interstate 80 south of Colfax on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, after a semi hauling livestock overturned late Monday in Placer County. Several pigs escaped from the trailer, prompting an unusual roundup as crews worked to reopen the freeway.
Escaped pigs wander across westbound Interstate 80 south of Colfax on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, after a semi hauling livestock overturned late Monday in Placer County. Several pigs escaped from the trailer, prompting an unusual roundup as crews worked to reopen the freeway. Steve Couts

Television footage from the scene Tuesday morning showed several pigs still inside the overturned trailer as crews worked to upright the semi before unloading the surviving animals. Placer County Animal Services also recovered several pigs that escaped from the wreckage.

A number of the pigs also died in the crash, according to TV reports.

Westbound Interstate 80 lanes reopened at Secret Town Road just after 1 p.m., Caltrans District 3 reported.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Caltrans officials work to clear the roadway after a tractor-trailer overturned carrying pigs on Interstate 80 near Colfax. The roadway reopened at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
Caltrans officials work to clear the roadway after a tractor-trailer overturned carrying pigs on Interstate 80 near Colfax. The roadway reopened at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Caltrans District 3

This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 7:56 AM with the headline "Pig-hauling big-rig overturns on I-80, sending swine onto freeway in the Sierra."

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