VALLEY CITY, N.D. — A crash involving a pickup and a semi carrying beehives released over 2 million bees on Interstate 94 Thursday afternoon.
At 3:57 p.m. on May 28, a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by a 15-year-old boy from Valley City, was merging onto westbound I-94 from Exit 292 when it attempted to change lanes, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol. A 2015 Kenworth semi, operated by a 55-year-old man from Hialeah, Florida, was hauling approximately 600-800 beehives in the same lane during the lane change.
The Silverado did not make contact with the Kenworth; however, the semi driver swerved to avoid a collision, causing the truck to roll onto its passenger side in the median. The beehives separated from the trailer as a result of the roll, releasing hundreds of thousands of bees.
The driver of the Kenworth exited his vehicle but was quickly swarmed by bees. He fled to the Sheyenne River for safety and was subsequently treated at a local hospital for multiple bee stings.
Local beekeepers and emergency responders assisted at the scene, where a lane closure lasted for eight hours. The incident is under investigation, with potential charges against the Silverado driver still pending, authorities said.