Full Breakdown
Semi-Truck Carrying Over 2 Million Bees Rolls Over on I-94 Near Valley City
5/29/2026, 11:50:54 PM
Timeline of the Incident
- May 28 2026, 3:57 p.m. – A 2004 Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 15-year-old Valley City resident merges onto westbound I-94 at Exit 292. Simultaneously, a 2015 Kenworth semi-truck, driven by a 55-year-old man from Hialeah, Florida, is traveling in the lane where the on-ramp merges.
- Moments later – The Silverado attempts an abrupt lane change to the left, failing to see the Kenworth. The semi swerves left, its driver-side tires enter the median, and the vehicle rolls onto its passenger side. No vehicles make contact.
- Immediately after rollover – The semi’s trailer, loaded with 600–800 beehives (? 2 million bees), separates, releasing the insects onto the highway. The semi driver exits, is swarmed, and runs to the nearby Sheyenne River.
- 3:57 p.m.–? 11:57 p.m. – The crash site is closed for roughly eight hours while crews, local beekeepers, and multiple agencies clear the bees and remove the wreckage.
- Post-crash – The semi driver is transported by Barnes County Ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Fargo for treatment of hundreds of stings; the Silverado driver remains at the scene.
Data & Statistics
- Bee load: 600–800 hives, estimated > 2 million bees.
- Stings: Hundreds reported on the semi driver; exact count not disclosed.
- Traffic impact: One lane of I-94 closed for ~8 hours, causing regional delays.
- Vehicles involved: One Chevrolet Silverado, one Kenworth semi-truck, and a third vehicle that merged ahead of the Silverado (identity not released).
Official Statements & Agency Responses
The North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP) released a detailed account of the maneuver that precipitated the rollover and confirmed that the crash remains under investigation. Police Chief Nick Horner advised residents with known bee allergies to shelter in place until the area could be secured. The North Dakota Department of Transportation, Barnes County Sheriff’s Office, Valley City Police Department, Valley City Fire Department, and the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services coordinated lane control and safety measures. Local beekeepers, contacted through the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, assisted in recapturing displaced bees, while Jim’s Towing and Site Works Unlimited managed removal of the semi and destroyed hives.
On-the-Ground Response and Cleanup
Beekeepers used protective equipment and commercial skid-steer equipment to gather the scattered hives. Valley City Public Works opened its landfill after hours to accept the destroyed hives for disposal. Emergency crews monitored the Sheyenne River for any bee activity and ensured the driver’s safe evacuation.
Conflicting Reports & Information Gaps
All sources agree on the approximate number of hives and the timeline, but none provide the semi driver’s name, the exact number of stings, or details on potential charges against the teenage Silverado driver. The reliability scores of the reports are modest (? 45 %), and no independent verification of the bee count has been released.
What’s Next
The NDHP continues its investigation, including possible traffic-law violations by the Silverado driver. Authorities plan to assess the long-term impact on local pollinator populations and to review safety protocols for transporting live insects on public highways.
Verbatim Quotes
- “While merging onto I-94, the Chevrolet Silverado entered the right lane (lane two) and then abruptly attempted to move into the left lane (lane one) to pass the vehicle in front of it.” — North Dakota Highway Patrol
- “The driver of the Chevrolet Silverado did not observe the Kenworth semi and made an improper lane change.” — North Dakota Highway Patrol
- “The semi’s driver-side tires entered the median before the driver attempted to steer back onto the roadway.” — North Dakota Highway Patrol
- “The Kenworth driver exited his semi but was immediately swarmed by hundreds of bees.” — North Dakota Highway Patrol
- “The crash remains under investigation by the North Dakota State Patrol.” — North Dakota Highway Patrol
