Slight Detour – July 2025

There’s rarely a week that goes by when I don’t see a story about a truck overturning and spilling something onto the roadways. Those overturned loads have included a little bit of everything – from the regular stuff like milk, eggs, or ranch dressing to disgusting things like human waste or discarded chicken parts. While our first story isn’t quite as disgusting, it still stings nonetheless.

Recently, a truck hauling 70,000 pounds of bees overturned in Whatcom County, Wash., causing the road to be closed for nearly 48 hours as crews of master beekeepers worked to return the black-and-yellow escapees to their hives.

“Bees was not on my bingo card for today,” Matt Klein, deputy director of emergency management for the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, told reporters.

Deputies said more than two dozen people showed up to help ensure the homecoming of the honeybees, which were being transported to help pollinate various fields.

According to some of the master beekeepers on the scene, an estimated 14 million honeybees were turned loose as a result of the overturned truck. Initial reports were that roughly 250 million bees escaped, which is quite the discrepancy. But I’ve never been good at guessing how many jelly beans are in the jar, either, so I’ll let that slide.

Oddly enough, this isn’t the first time I’ve written about a truckload of bees overturning. In the other instance, the driver had to be removed from the vehicle by first responders – all while being stung by the angry swarm of bees. While this story didn’t have as wild of an ending, it certainly generated plenty of buzz.

Time is money

I get it. Truckers are typically in a hurry. Your time is valuable, and you are trying to squeeze everything you can out of each second. In the process, the occasional brain fart is to be expected.

Officials with the California Highway Patrol recently saw this in action when a trucker rolled into a scale house with an unexpected passenger in tow – a diesel pump hose and handle. The troopers playfully took to Facebook with a snappy retort.

“Well, considering this diesel pump hose traveled the distance from Visalia to our scale house (approximately 96 miles) and was found in this condition was quite impressive,” CHP’s Facebook post read.

While I’m sure the sight was terrifying to any passing motorist, I can’t say I disagree with the troopers. If I’m the manufacturer of that particular hose, I’m using this survival story for our next marketing campaign. Nothing says “tough enough to stand the test of time” quite like being dragged nearly 100 miles by a moving semi.

Smooth criminal

I’ve never considered criminals to be the brightest crayons in the box, but with all the talk about “sophisticated cargo theft” lately, I suppose I’ve moved the bar up just a bit. Fortunately, the crooks in the next story helped bring it back down a notch or two.

Police in Phoenix recently arrested four men who they had caught in the act of stealing energy drinks from a truck park. How were they able to be on the scene when it happened? It turns out the security guard recognized the truck they were using – a bright gold semi – from a previous theft. ; We end this Slight Detour in familiar territory – with a trucker having an incredible stroke of luck.

As officers arrived, they saw the gold semi – along with another big truck and a black Land Rover – leaving the truck park. In total, the two semis were carrying $100,000 in stolen Red Bull and Rockstar energy drinks.

The four suspects were also linked to another theft involving three trailers loaded with over $3 million worth of stolen TVs. Police said they were able to connect the crew to the theft because surveillance video showed the four men “wearing distinctive shoes and using the same trucks and plates.”

Despite being caught red-handed, all of the suspects denied involvement, with one claiming to work for the company marked on the trucks. The four men were booked on one count of third-degree burglary.

Look, I’m no criminal mastermind, but even I know that’s a rookie mistake. Maybe skip the matching bedazzled shoes? Or pick a getaway vehicle slightly less conspicuous than a bright gold semi?

Hopefully, these four idiots will find a new line of work, because I don’t think they have the chops to make it as cargo thieves.

From trash to treasure

We end this Slight Detour in familiar territory – with a trucker having an incredible stroke of luck.

In need of wiper blades and some caffeine, the driver pulled into a truck stop in Elton, Md. After grabbing what he needed, the trucker decided to also try his luck on a $20 scratcher ticket. His hopes were soon dashed after he scratched the ticket. Believing it was a dud, he threw it in the trash.

According to the Maryland lottery, that’s when the trucker began to have second thoughts about his possible loss and fished the ticket out of the trash. When he scanned it, the driver received the message “See Lottery” – and he knew he’d made the right decision with his brief dumpster dive.

As it turns out, the trucker had won $1 million on the ticket. I know this isn’t quite how the old saying goes, but I guess one person’s trash can also be that person’s treasure.

The crazy part is that this isn’t the first time I’ve heard of this happening with a truck driver. In March’s edition of Slight Detour I wrote about a driver that almost tossed a million-dollar winner as well, so this isn’t an isolated incident. Oddly enough, that driver was from Maryland too. I guess crab cakes aren’t the only thing worth heading east for.

Seriously, though, how often does this happen? After reading about these two dudes, I just know some poor sap has tossed a million dollars in the trash at some point.

The new millionaire wanted to remain anonymous – something I fully support, because I would tell exactly ZERO people if I came into a pile of cash. I’m not trying to have everyone I know ask for a loan. Nearly as smart a move as digging that ticket out of the trash. LL