Grant County, IN – Indiana State Police Trooper Edward Titus and Grant County Deputy Joshua Kennedy rescued several circus animals from a fiery semi-truck crash on Interstate 69.
The event unfolded around 2:00 a.m. near the 263 mile-marker, where Trooper Titus discovered a 2012 Volvo semi-truck, operated by Armando C. Alvarez, 57, from Sarasota, Florida, engulfed in flames.
Upon learning that the trailer was transporting animals from the Shrine Circus, Trooper Titus, Deputy Kennedy, and a circus member embarked on a daring rescue operation. They successfully saved five zebras, four camels, and a miniature horse. The northbound lanes of I-69 were temporarily closed, with traffic diverted to State Road 22 until about 6:30 a.m. A preliminary investigation led by Trooper James Wilkison suggested an equipment failure as the fire’s cause.
Both Trooper Titus and Deputy Kennedy were treated for smoke inhalation at a local hospital and later released. Remarkably, no injuries were reported for Mr. Alvarez or any of the animals.
