NC snowstorm brought ice, snow and pigs to I-40 after Monday morning truck crash

As if snow-covered mountain roads weren’t bad enough, Monday morning travelers on westbound Interstate 40 also had to contend with free roaming pigs, leading to heavy traffic delays, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

The dazed pigs found their way onto Interstate 40 about 11:30 a.m., after a livestock truck overturned and blocked all lanes near the Tennessee state line, reported NCDOT.

One lane was reopened shortly after noon, but heavy traffic backups continued, said NCDOT. The blocked lanes were expected to reopen at 5 p.m. Monday, said state officials.

Temperatures were in the teens early Monday in Haywood County, adding to the pigs’ overall discomfort with their predicament.

Photos posted on Facebook by the NCDOT showed hogs wandering near Exit 7, leading to more than a few “road hog” puns by commenters on Twitter.

Highway Patrol First Sgt. Mike Baker told TV station WFMY that some hogs were killed in the crash, but he didn’t say how many. One of the dead pigs was seen lying in the snow in a photo tweeted by NCDOT.

One photo shared by NCDOT showed the 18-wheeler on its side along the interstate, with hogs standing in the background.

NCDOT didn’t report how many escaped the trailer.

The truck was carrying “at least 100 pigs,” and lanes were blocked as crews tried “to contain the animals,” reported TV station WLOS.

The driver, who was not named, had serious injuries and was taken to a hospital, the station reported.

Haywood County saw as much as 16 inches of snow Sunday, making the interstate’s curves treacherous through the county’s mountain passes.

This story was originally published December 10, 2018 at 1:46 PM.