The Best There Is

Every now and then, I come across a story that I have to share with you in its original format, because I can't do it justice. I think that, after the story you're about to read, I will retire from copying and reposting, because it can't get any better than this.
HUGE thanks to my friend Amy, who shared this story with me.

When cows hit road, there's no exiting the trouble on I-10

Roger Croteau EXPRESS-NEWS STAFF WRITER

In a wild series of incidents that started with a loose tailgate and ended with a grass fire Wednesday night, two Seguin police cars were destroyed, at least two cows were killed, three suspected undocumented immigrants were jailed and Interstate 10 was closed. Pay attention. This is complicated.
At about 9:45 p.m., the gate fell open on an 18-wheeler hauling cattle east near the Texas 123 bypass in Seguin.
"Cows started being deposited on the highway," Seguin police spokeswoman Maureen Watson said.
Five or six cows hit the road. One was struck by another 18-wheeler and dragged about a half-mile. Another was hit by a minivan. Both animals died, blocking the highway among the remaining injured cows.
Texas Department of Public Safety troopers arrived and started clearing the scene, using a truck to drag the dead cows off the road and rounding up the live ones.
That's when a pickup, reported stolen in Houston, sped through the scene, almost hitting a DPS trooper directing traffic, Watson said.
A short chase ensued. Three men abandoned the pickup and ran into the brush along the highway.
Two Seguin patrol cars that had joined the chase parked amid the grass along the highway, and the officers jumped out and chased the fugitives.
They caught the men, but when the officers returned the prisoners to their patrol cars, they saw that heat from the engines had sparked a grass fire that torched both vehicles, one of which was brand new.
Crews arrived to fight the rapidly spreading fire, and Interstate 10 was closed. Eastbound lanes were shut for about 45 minutes. The men, believed to be undocumented immigrants, were brought to the Guadalupe County jail. Their names and charges against them were not available Thursday afternoon.
The driver of the cattle truck was cited for driving with an unsecured load.
"The whole chain of events was pretty bizarre," Watson said. "The damage to the cars was $50,000 to $60,000."

a Hot time
--Cows spill on highway when trailer gate opens.
--Pickup speeds past scene. As police chase it, suspects jump out.
--Officers park amid grass to apprehend suspects. Heat from engines ignites grass and burns police cars.

Just in case you couldn't remember the key points, the article even wraps it up for you! How thoughtful! That was Amy's favorite part... "So, let me get this straight - the illegal immigrants set the cows loose? Wait, that's not right. Let me check the recap."

quite possibly the most unfortunate and most bizarre series of events to ever transpire - A+