Cattle Truck Nearly Takes Dive Into Snake River [VIDEO]

You have have heard about this already, but a semi-truck driver and his load of cows are lucky to be alive (well, the cows for a little while longer) after a harrowing trip down a hillside, and almost into the Snake River.

Monday afternoon, this semi was headed to the Tyson Plant near Wallula, Eastbound on Highway 12.  Just before the Snake River bridge, another vehicle, a Chevy Cruze, was westbound, and then trying to cross the highway to head onto Sacajawea Park road.

Due  to icy road conditions and blowing snow, the car couldn't get good traction, and the semi-driver found himself staring down the car in his lanes in the middle of the road. He swerved, then the truck went off the median, down the hillside, bounced across the railroad tracks below, and came to a stop with the front end of the semi dangling off the cliff with the Snake River below.

The cattle inside were from Canada, and because of USDA rules, only a federal inspector could open the cargo, they had to stay in there for hours until Tuesday morning when the inspector arrived. Here's a video of the cattle being herded out and into another truck so they could finish their journey. Pasco Police assisted in the operation, as the State Patrol was completely taxed due to other accidents. The driver was not hurt.