1. Semitruck carrying 300 chickens causes 11-car
pileup
By Devan Flores
MC1313
SAN MARCOS, Texas—A fully loaded semitruck carrying more than 300 chickens
made an illegal left turn causing an accident including 11 cars and leaving 25 people
injured on Thursday.
The accident occurred at the corner of South Guadalupe Street and Leah Avenue.
Jeff Johnson, the driver of the truck, was issued a ticket after causing the accident
because of his traffic violation. Johnson also suffered minor injuries and was
transported to Central Texas Medical Center.
The other cars had 23 people in them, passengers and drivers. Some were bruised
and some had cuts and scrapes but no one else went to the hospital.
Police said most of the cars had minor damage. The truck had to be towed away and
traffic was backed up for 5 hours and 30 minutes so a crane could be used to lift up
the truck’s trailer.
Police said the truck turned on its side while making the sharp turn and left a skid
on the pavement for 103 yards.
[It’s OK to be general in the lead, but you should probably introduce the policeman
instead of writing “police said.” It’s also important to get an authoritative voice high
up in the story.]
Sarah Bernell and Micha Wallace, two passengers of an involved car, suffered a few
cuts and bruises and recalled the whole accident.
Wallace said, “I tried to swerve but the truck just slid on its side and slammed us
into the ditch. It was like a chain reaction after that. The rest of the cars just kept
piling into the truck. We’re lucky we weren’t killed. And the chicken feathers were
everywhere. Those poor creatures didn’t stand a chance.”
[USE LAST NAME ON SECOND REFERRENCE]
The chickens suffered in the accident and some were injured or killed. At least 30
are dead. Many others were trapped in the vehicle until firemen arrived. As many as
40 remain at large in the area neighborhood.
Seguin Poultry, Inc., the company owning the chickens, sent another truck to pick up
the survivors.

2. President Carlton Fitzsimmons reported the dead and missing chickens are worth
over $700 and the truck was worth a lot more than that. Each chicken was insured
for $10 each.
The company supplies eggs to Whole Foods Markets around Texas. If they are found
wandering, the chicken survivors should be returned to Seguin Poultry in Sequin.
Sgt. John Jones, the police officer on site, said, “It was the biggest pileup I’ve ever
seen. Lots and lots of smashed bumpers, but the worst part were the screams of the
chickens. Those things sure do make a lot of noise, you know.”
Smashed eggs and feathers were in the wreckage of the truck.
Jones added, “There were so many eggs out there, it’s too bad we couldn’t scramble
them up and do something with them.”