Semi Rollover Kills Thousands of Chickens Near West Union

Thousands of chickens have died in a semi accident in rural Fayette County.

At about 1:30am Tuesday (May 14), the Fayette County Sheriff received a 911 call, reporting a semi rollover on Highway 18, about 1 mile west of West Union.

44 year old Tony Raske of Alden was hauling a trailer-load of chickens, about 5,000 of them, when he lost control and drove into the ditch. The semi and trailer rolled, killing about half of the load of chickens.

The birds that survived were rounded up and loaded onto another semi. Raske and a child passenger sustained minor injuries and did not need hospitalization.

Raske's 2012 International Semi, along with the 2017 Load King trailer, were deemed a total loss. Raske is being charged with Failure to Maintain Control.