
Wild elk were the cause of two wrecks involving semi trucks in Washington on Tuesday after the animals blocked the roadway, wreaking havoc with drivers.
The accidents happened on May 1st after 1:00 a.m. in Cle Elum, Washington.
According to KOMO News, the first wreck occurred when a semi truck traveling east on Interstate 90 swerved to avoid a dead elk lying in the roadway. The sudden swerve caused the truck driver to veer off the right side of the roadway where the driver then overcorrected, rolling the semi truck onto its side and blocking all eastbound lanes of I-90. Luckily, the driver was not injured.
Only three minutes later and three miles away, paramedics responded to a call reporting that a second semi truck and a sedan were traveling east on I-90 when another elk stepped onto the highway, forcing the truck driver to strike the animal. The sedan traveling behind the truck then swerved to avoid the dead animal left in the roadway, causing the car to roll onto its roof in the center median.
Miraculously, no serious injuries were sustained in that crash either.
Officials are warning drivers passing through the area to keep a sharp eye out for the animals, as they are still roaming their winter range near much of I-90 and have not yet moved on to their summer range, which is at a higher elevation.