DOZENS of sheep were killed or later put down after a truck driver overturned his vehicle while trying to avoid a bee in his cabin yesterday.
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The driver of the livestock transport truck received only minor injuries in the crash about five kilometres from Clunes.
It occurred while the truck was travelling north on the Ballarat-Maryborough Road shortly after 3pm.
Carcasses covered the road alongside the overturned truck, with police implementing road diversions around the site for several hours.
The driver, in his mid-40s, told road crash investigators he lost control of the vehicle when he noticed a bee in the cabin.
He said he had a severe allergy to bee stings and was trying to avoid the bee when the truck tipped on a 90 degree angle, completely blocking the road and crushing the cabin.
He climbed free of the truck and called for help.
Victoria Police Leading Senior Constable Wayne Frisch said the driver passed a blood-alcohol test.
He said many of the injured sheep had to be put down at the scene.
“Police from Ballarat Highway Patrol, Bacchus Marsh, Creswick and Daylesford have all attended,” Senior Constable Frisch said.
CFA crews from Clunes rescued a number of animals from the overturned truck, with sheep jumping fences into nearby paddocks.
An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said the driver had declined to be transported to hospital after the incident, with crews at the scene reporting only minor injuries to his shoulder.
thomas.mcilroy@fairfaxmedia.com.au
