Deputies Devon Sons, left, and Rick Sons, right, are standing guard as one pig had escaped the wreckage. Conservation Agent Chad Gray and Deputy Devon Sons were able to get a rope on it to keep the pig contained.

Pictured is the top of the trailer before it was cut open. The McKenney family brought panels to help guide the pigs toward the pasture near the highway.

On Thursday, April 12, 2018, the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to a call of a semi truck and trailer load of pigs that rolled on its side blocking the southbound lane on Hwy. 275. Driver Sean Kimes, 23, of Falls City, Nebraska, was headed south on Hwy. 275. When going around the curve just south of Red Star Road, the semi overturned onto its passenger side. Kimes was taken by Atchison-Holt Ambulance to Community Hospital-Fairfax with minor injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt. Also responding to the call were Atchison County Sheriff’s Department, Conservation Agent Chad Gray, Rock Port Fire Department, Missouri Department of Transportation and the McKenney family.  Benefiel Towing of Hamburg, Iowa, brought two wreckers to roll the semi truck and trailer back over. First the top of the trailer was cut off to remove all of the pigs on the upper level of the trailer. These pigs were then herded to a holding pen in a nearby pasture owned Merle and Ruth Fox. Once the truck and trailer were set back up they were able to offload the remaining pigs until another transport truck arrived.