Sheriff report: Mountain highway wreaks havoc on truckers, others

The Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office received the following calls for the week of July 7-13:

July 7: 2:39 p.m. – Two deputies responded to the scene of a hay bale fire on Wyoming 32 about 17 miles southwest of Lovell just north of Lane 24. The landowner said he wanted to allow the fire to continue to burn, that it was a controlled burn.

8:30 p.m. – A call from Byron reported that a family was out for a walk on North Heart Mountain Street when a German shepherd made them nervous by running toward them. They shooed the dog away and called regarding the loose pet, which was put inside by the time a deputy responded to the area.

8:48 p.m. – A woman from Byron called to report four cows in her yard, stating she was upset because she had just watered her lawn and the cows were causing damage. She called the livestock owner, who stated that the cows were able to cross onto her property because the canal district had been cleaning out the canal and had left dirt piled next to the fence, which the cows used to escape their pasture. The owner responded to put the cows away and repair the fence.

July 8: 1:44 p.m. – A deputy was involved in a minor collision when his patrol car bumped into an unoccupied car on private property. There was minimal damage, and the Lovell Police Department was asked to write up the accident report.

2:13 p.m. – A caller reported that he was driving near the Georgia-Pacific turnoff on U.S. 310 south of Lovell when a Wyoming Department of Transportation employee was mowing the highway shoulder and kicked up a rock that dented the caller’s truck. The call was referred to the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

3:40 p.m. – A caller reported that a white Ford F150 with Colorado plates nearly caused an accident in what the reporting party called a “near miss” near Byron. The call was referred to the Highway Patrol and the Lovell Police Department.

5:16 p.m. – An out-of-control controlled burn damaged a power pole on Lovell Lakes Road southeast of Lovell.  A deputy wrote a property damage report.

July 10: 12:32 p.m. – A report of a vehicle hitting an antelope on U.S. 14A East and the Crystal Creek Road was referred to the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

5:28 p.m. – A truck driver called to say that his truck, a red Freightliner with a white van trailer, had broken down while traveling up the Big Horns on U.S. 14 east of Lovell and was four feet into a lane of travel and in a dangerous spot because of blind curves. A deputy responded to assist with traffic control and placing warning signs, and Hanser’s out of Billings was called to tow the tractor trailer.

7:46 p.m. – Big Horn County deputies performed an arrest for Park County, taking Michael Harvey, 33, of Deaver into custody for violation of a protection order and a hit-and-run. After the arrest, a Park County deputy arrived to transport the man.

July 11: 9:34 a.m. – A caller reported a traffic hazard at the Oasis Junction west of Lovell in the form of a truck driver tracking down loose papers blowing about. By the time a deputy got to the scene, the papers had been secured.

5:46 p.m. – A trucker reported that his cattle truck had broken down on U.S. 14A on the west face of the Big Horns. The trailer was “loaded with cattle,” and the driver reported that his drive line broke. He said another truck was being sent for the cattle, and a deputy and highway trooper performed traffic control while the trailer was emptied and removed.

July 12: 12:03 p.m. -- A lost set of keys and a water bottle was found and returned to the owner by Sheriff Blackburn.

12:08 p.m. – A caller reported a black GMC pickup parked in front of a fire hydrant in Byron. Sheriff Blackburn contacted the owner and asked him to move the pickup.

7:25 p.m. – A suburban pulling a camper rolled on U.S. 310 about three miles south of Lovell when a gust of wind caught the trailer and flipped the vehicle and trailer over. There were no injuries, and traffic was diverted around the Lovell Lakes. The Highway Patrol investigated the accident.

July 13: 12:16 p.m. – A driver reported breaking down on U.S. 14A two miles west of the Medicine Mountain road atop the Big Horns. The driver got the vehicle going, but it broke down again. A good Samaritan towed the vehicle to the Crystal Creek Rest Area, and a tow truck was called to take the vehicle off the mountain.

3:59 p.m. – A pickup from Powell was pulling a pop-up camper down the mountain east of Lovell when the camper became unhitched while crossing a cattle guard. The trailer struck the mountain wall. The Highway Patrol asked deputies to assist with traffic control while a tow truck responded to the scene.

7:04 p.m. – A silver Chevy Tahoe hit a deer just west of Byron on U.S. 14A. There was significant damage to the left side of the vehicle. The vehicle occupants were not injured, and the deer was removed from the highway.