Nearly two million bees were released when a semi-truck crashed in North Dakota on Thursday, and the driver was stung hundreds of times.
A 15-year-old Valley City boy driving a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado and the 55-year-old driver of a Kenworth semi-truck were both merging onto westbound I-94 in Valley City just before 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
Police said the teen driver almost collided with the merging semi when he suddenly shifted into the left lane to pass the vehicle in front of it. The driver of the semi-truck “took evasive action” and swerved, went into the median, and rolled to avoid the collision, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
An estimated two million bees were in the 600 to 800 bee hives that the semi was transporting in its trailer. The hives separated from the trailer during the rollover, releasing the bees.
“The driver of the Chevrolet Silverado remained on scene following the crash,” reads the report by the North Dakota Highway Patrol. “The driver of the Kenworth semi exited the vehicle under his own power but was immediately attacked by hundreds of bees after escaping the cab.”
A nearby river helped the driver of the semi escape the bees
Once out of the truck’s cab, the driver ran to the nearby Sheyenne River to try to get away from the bees. Barnes County Ambulance eventually took him to Mercy Hospital in Valley City for treatment of hundreds of bee stings.
“Millions of bees were released in the crash. Beekeepers are en route to help recover and contain the bees. The cable barrier area marks where large groups of bees have clustered,” the North Dakota Highway Patrol wrote in a later post on Facebook.
It reportedly took several hours to get the semi, trailer, and bees off the road. Several local beekeepers responded to the scene to assist in the cleanup and recovery.
“Please slow down, follow directions from responders on scene, and give crews and the bees plenty of space while they work,” the Highway Patrol requested.
