A domestic cat named Bones prompted a brief closure of eastbound traffic in Colorado's Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel on Sunday morning [1].
The incident highlights the unpredictable nature of pet transport and the significant impact a small animal can have on major U.S. infrastructure and commuter safety.
Bones escaped from a vehicle through a slightly cracked window while his owner, Abby Hagstrom, was traveling back from Steamboat Springs [1, 2]. The escape occurred on Interstate 70 near Denver, where the cat reportedly leaped from a pickup truck traveling at speeds up to 70 mph [2].
"I didn’t realize that my cat, Bones, had squeezed his way through a slightly cracked window until we stopped for gas near Denver," Hagstrom said [1].
Following the escape, the cat wandered into the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel. Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) officials decided to shut down the eastbound lanes of the highway to facilitate a search for the animal [1, 2]. Officials said driver safety was the primary reason for the closure, as a loose animal on a high-speed interstate creates a risk of sudden braking or swerving by motorists.
Search teams eventually located and rescued Bones, allowing CDOT to reopen the tunnel to traffic [1]. The cat survived the high-speed jump and the subsequent time spent in the tunnel without reported serious injury [2].
Local authorities and CDOT officials managed the brief disruption to I-70, one of the most heavily trafficked corridors in the region. The event served as a reminder for pet owners to secure windows, and carriers, during long-distance travel, especially when navigating mountainous terrain and high-speed highways [1, 2].
“Bones the killer cat survived a leap from a pickup truck traveling up to 70 miles per hour”
The closure of a critical transit point like the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel demonstrates the strict safety protocols used by the Colorado Department of Transportation. Because high-speed tunnel environments leave drivers with no shoulder or exit options, any hazard—including a small animal—is treated as a critical safety risk that justifies immediate traffic cessation to prevent multi-vehicle accidents.
