SPRING, Texas (March 24, 2025) – A herd of roping steers caused a wild scene Monday afternoon in north Harris County after the gate of a livestock trailer came unlatched, allowing several animals to escape onto the North Freeway (I-45 North) near the ExxonMobil campus and SH-99 (Grand Parkway).
The incident occurred just before noon, causing a significant traffic backup as steers roamed across both sides of I-45 near Spring Stuebner Road. Cameras captured the animals dodging vehicles, leaping medians, and running through the area as responders tried to corral them.
The trailer, which was transporting 31 roping steers to Polk County, was not involved in a wreck—according to RodeoHouston officials, the escape happened when a gate on the trailer accidentally came unlatched. Six steers got loose, prompting an emergency response from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Livestock Unit, Precinct 4 deputies, and local volunteers.
By around 12:45 p.m., at least one steer had been cornered. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez reported via social media that three had been captured and two northbound lanes had reopened by 1:15 p.m. Traffic slowly began to ease by that time, though backups stretched for several miles in both directions.
The final steer proved difficult to catch and had to be tranquilized before it could be secured. By approximately 4 p.m., all of the escaped animals were accounted for.
Join The Discussion!
Comments