Runaway Steer Shuts Down I-17, Troopers & Police Give Chase

Photo of Chris ChrisDecember 3, 2023

INCIDENT DATE/TIME: 11-24-2023 | 12:50 PM
LOCATION:  NB I-17 near Jomax Road
CITY: Phoenix
DETAILS:

  • AZ DPS Troopers received reports of a large steer standing in the HOV lane of northbound I-17 near Jomax Road around 12:50 AM.
  • Troopers responded to the area and located the steer, still standing in the HOV lane just south of Jomax.
  • Troopers initiated a traffic break, shutting down northbound I-17 near Happy Valley Road while additional troopers worked to coax the large bovine out of the roadway.
  • According to the first trooper on scene, DPS Sergeant Kevin Watt, the estimated 1200 to 1600-pound steer was far from cooperative with troopers.
  • The steer was confrontational, and at times took a defensive posture, challenging the Sergeant and his Ford F150 patrol vehicle.
  • With assistance from additional troopers and plenty of creative siren work, the steer eventually made its way off the highway.
  • But the fun wasn’t over, the steer then decided to divert its course from the open desert, east of the i-17, and began running southbound down the middle of the northbound frontage road.
  • Phoenix Police ground units as well as the Phoenix Police air unit responded to assist troopers as they worked to contain the 1000+ pound fleeing suspect.
  • The steer was eventually located as he made his way off the roadway and back near its fenced-off pen, tucked away against the southeast corner of the I-17 and Jomax intersection.
  • Officers and troopers quickly converged on the steer’s location, holding positions around the area in an attempt to anticipate his next move.
  • A brief standoff ensued as the steer stared down nearby law enforcement personnel.
  • After several minutes, the steer decided it was time to return to its fellow heard members and casually walked through the fence surrounding its enclosure, snapping barbed wires as if they were shoe strings.
  • Troopers quickly moved in and utilized steel zip ties to repair the damaged fence, successfully bringing the chaotic chase to an end.

HANDLING AGENCIES: AZ DPS, Phoenix Police

Comments

Photo of Chris ChrisDecember 3, 2023
Back to top button