The driver of a livestock tractor-trailer that rolled over last month in central Cochise County causing the death of 25 cows has been cited for two civil traffic violations after he admitted traveling 70 mph in a 55 mph zone.
Alan Jesus Decasas is charged with speeding and failure to control speed to avoid an accident for his actions on July 30 while hauling 106 cows on Davis Road between Tombstone and McNeal. He is set to appear in Bisbee Justice Court later this summer for a hearing on the charges.
Public records show Decasas, 23, was eastbound around 8:40 p.m. when the Peterbilt truck and Wilson trailer overturned to the southside of Davis Road at milepost 5. The driver, whose license showed an address in Texas, was uninjured.
Several deputies and volunteers with the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to the scene with support from Tombstone Fire, Tombstone Marshal’s Office, and Arizona Department of Public Safety.
CCSO Deputy Marcus Gerow noted in his report that upon arrival he spoke with Decasas, who did not appear to be intoxicated or impaired.
“I examined the trailer and observed cows escaping from the trailer through a torn open area in the sheet metal roof,” Gerow noted. “I looked inside the trailer and observed cows on top of cows, some were deceased and others were still alive.”
According to Gerow, 16 cows were dead inside the trailer. He shot one cow outside the trailer that had two broken rear legs, and another eight had to be “dispatched” or shot due to injuries.
Members of the CCSO Ranch Patrol also responded to the scene. They were assisted by several ranchers on horseback to round up 81 uninjured cattle, which were then transported to a nearby ranch.
Davis Road was closed for several hours while the roadway was cleared. A heavy-duty tow truck from Rapid Towing and Recovery in Mescal got the damaged tractor-trailer back on its wheel and assisted in removing the dead cattle from inside the trailer.
Decasas faces more than $800 in fines, fees, and surcharges if found guilty of both counts.