A truck driver involved in a crash that killed 50 cattle on Sunday reported a malfunction in the steering mechanism, Fort Worth police said Monday.
The malfunction caused the truck to veer into a ditch and flip on its side, killing the cattle.
No citations were issued in the accident, Fort Worth police said.
The driver suffered minor injuries from the crash.
The 18-wheeler, which had nearly 80 cows inside, went off the road on West Loop 820 near Team Ranch Road at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the Fort Worth Fire Department.
Fort Worth fire crews worked over the course of four to five hours to get into the trailer, wrangle the loose cows and save what animals they could, Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Mike Drivdahl said.
The trailer crashed in a precarious spot while driving northbound. Photos of the crash show the large metal trailer tipped onto its side in a ravine by the interstate.
A heavy rescue team brought equipment to cut into the sides of the trailer to get to the cows, working alongside livestock teams and the crews with the Fort Worth Marshal Division.
The team also used lassos and ropes to herd the cattle.
Twenty cattle were saved from the crash, the Fort Worth Fire Department said.
