Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, October 29, 1995                   TAG: 9510300035
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

BULL BUSTS LOOSE, GOES FOR GALLOP UNTIL U.S. 460 WRANGLERS ARRIVE

But with the help of town police, a few brave passers-by and Virginia Tech veterinary school personnel, all ended well.

The bull freed itself from its trailer at 12:38 as its new owners, Patti and Phil Mosser, were transporting it to their home in New Castle, Sgt. W.A. Gibbs said.

Gibbs estimated the bull weighed at least 1,200 pounds.

The bull landed on the highway and charged off down the road.

"Luckily, people kept their heads," Gibbs said. "He tied up traffic as he went from the [traffic] light at Heilig-Meyers all the way down to Corning," near New River Valley Mall, Gibbs said.

"He galloped, and I galloped out of its way," Gibbs said. "A [police officer] will run from a bull, but he'll go after a man with a gun; it doesn't make sense, does it?"

Four officers, a half-dozen residents and a few farmers helped corral the bull behind the Corning plant near Virginian Drive and kept it confined until veterinary school personnel arrived to tranquilize the animal.

"He was pretty upset and teed off there for a while. He was charging and running," Gibbs said.

By 3, the animal was sedated, back in its trailer and headed to its new home.

"It did make the evening go by," Gibbs said. "Everything turned out good, and that's no bull."