Overview
- The flock of about 25 sheep ran onto the A659 on Thursday and caused a full closure between the Viernheim-Ost junction and Autobahnkreuz Weinheim while officers moved to secure the scene.
- Police and emergency crews herded the animals off the carriageway into a Weinheim industrial area and built a provisional pen from construction fences to hold the flock.
- One sheep was struck and killed by a vehicle before the herd was contained, and the driver was reported uninjured though their car sustained damage.
- Officers used ear tags to identify the owner, who reclaimed the animals after they were secured, and the motorway was reopened once the herd was removed.
- Authorities are investigating how the animals escaped their enclosure, a question that could prompt checks of fencing and animal husbandry practices given the road crosses the Baden-Württemberg–Hessen boundary.