Crash releases cattle onto Virginia highway

April 1 (UPI) -- A portion of a Virginia highway was shut down Monday when a three-vehicle crash resulted in cattle escaping onto the roadway.

Virginia State Police said the tractor-trailer hauling the cattle was involved in a three-vehicle crash about 11:40 a.m. Monday near the 232 mile marker in Augusta County.

The crash allowed "several cows" to escape onto the roadway, causing traffic to back up more than 9 miles, the Virginia Department of Transportation said.

Augusta County Animal Control personnel were summoned to the scene to round up the cows and assess their condition.