Overview
- The loose bull, which ran along Highway 35 Tuesday night, created a moving traffic hazard that forced California Highway Patrol officers and San Mateo County deputies to stop traffic and follow it for several miles.
- After hours of unsuccessful attempts, deputies woke Sea Horse Ranch foreman Samuel Ramos Palomino around midnight and he used a lasso to secure the animal despite his rope snapping and losing length.
- Palomino loaded the bull into his livestock trailer, sheltered it overnight, and the animal was returned to its pen at daybreak with local officials publicly thanking him.
- Authorities have not identified the bull’s owner or said how the animal escaped, and officials say they will pursue upgrades to the enclosure to reduce the risk of another escape.
- The incident underscores that police academies rarely train officers to capture large livestock and suggests agencies will increase coordination with local ranchers and animal-handling specialists to protect motorists and first responders.