By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
A white cow owned by former Lonoke County Sheriff Jim Roberson was shot and killed in Cabot on Wednesday afternoon near the playground at Southside Elementary School after leading police on a chase through open fields, brush and a cemetery.
Roberson called Cabot police at 3:25 p.m. to ask for help with the cow that had gotten out of his trailer when he stopped at the intersection of Hwy. 321 and Hwy. 89. The trailer gate was apparently not secured properly.
Officer Cory Griffith and Sgt. David Thrush responded to Roberson’s call for assistance and eventually so did Cabot Animal Control.
According to the incident report that was required because shots were fired, Roberson told the police officers that they wouldn’t be able to get the cow back into the trailer and asked them to shoot it.
Lt. Brent Lucas, a police department spokesman, said someone on a horse had roped the cow but had been unable to hold it. Lucas said Roberson asked the officers to kill the cow because of the real concern that it might cause a wreck on the highway.
Griffith wrote in the incident report, “Officers attempted to keep the cow in the field behind Doublebee’s but were unable to do so. At this time the cow ran across the intersection of (Hwy.) 89 South and (Hwy.) 321 into the Mount Carmel Cemetery and back across (Hwy. 89 South) near West Lake Plumbing.
“Officers attempted to corral the animal beside West Lake Plumbing but were unable to do so and the animal ran across (89 South) back into Mount Carmel Cemetery. The cow then proceeded back across the intersection of (89 South) and (321) back into the field behind Doublebee’s.
The report continues, “Officers located the cow in the heavy brush between Doublebee’s and Faith Baptist Church. Mike (Wheeler) from Animal Control was able to flush the cow out into the open field where Sergeant Thrush fired one shot and hit the cow in the side. The cow didn’t go down and ran across the field, back across (89 South) across the parking lot of Mount Carmel Church and into Brentwood Subdivision.
“Officer Griffith drove over to Brentwood Subdivision where the cow was heading north back toward (321). Officer Griffith was able to get turned around and follow the cow west down (321) and back across (89 South).”
The report continues, “Officer Griffith followed the cow on to Southside Elementary where the cow stopped between the school and the fire station. Officer Griffith was able to keep the cow distracted until Sgt. Thrush arrived on scene. Officer Griffith and Sgt. Thrush each fired one round at this time, putting the animal down.”
In response to questions, Lucas said some children may have been at the school for after-school programs, but most had left for the day when the cow was shot. Someone took the cow for processing into meat, he said.
