Runaway bull shot on Utah County freeway

PLEASANT GROVE — An aggressive roping steer broke loose from a Pleasant Grove pasture Wednesday, leading animal control and police on a long chase through the streets of Pleasant Grove and American Fork and finally on to I-15.

Pleasant Grove police shot and killed the animal on the shoulder of the interstate after it trotted south down a northbound lane near exit 275, according to Sgt. Ernesto Ferron.

"We had to put it down because the risk to people was too great," he said. "A couple cars had to drive around it."

Officers had already tried several times to steer the steer into fields to corral it, but it bucked their efforts, even dashing across State Street at one point.

When officers thought they had it cornered, the steer jumped up on several patrol cars, damaging two from Pleasant Grove and one from American Fork.

"We were trying to contain the animal without putting it down," Ferron said. "That was the last resort."

He said the steer's owner would be cited for allowing it to escape.

— Paul Koepp