John_In_Dakota

POSTED: 11:31 am EST March 24, 2006

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A 26-year-old man speeding along a country road died after his car ran off track and hit a cow, authorities said.

Christopher Lynn Elkins of Chatham County died early Thursday, about six hours after the accident.

Elkins was driving a 1994 Saturn on Silk Hope Liberty Road near Siler City, about 50 miles west of Raleigh on Wednesday evening.

He veered off the road to the left, hit a ditch and a fence, hit and killed the cow, and then came to rest about 55 feet from the roadside, State Highway Patrol Trooper Grady Smith said.

Smith said Elkins appeared to have been speeding and was not wearing a seat belt.

As for the cow all we can tell you at this time is he, the cow, was in the ditch illegally. He, the cow, jumped his fence after he noticed the electricity was shot off. After running for less than a mile he, the cow, was trying to get a car to pull off the side of the road so he, the cow, could commit a car jacking. Also the cow was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. The cow leaves behind a wife and 43 little cow bells.