Four llamas involved in Florida car crash

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.

Four llamas are recovering at a southwest Florida veterinary hospital after being involved in a crash on Interstate 75, authorities said.

Charlotte County Fire-Rescue officials said a pickup truck carrying a trailer with four llamas crashed at mile marker 164, near Punta Gorda, shortly after 2:30 p.m. The truck crashed into a bridge over the Peace River and the trailer tipped onto its side.

One of the llamas was hurt in the crash, officials said, while the other three appeared to be uninjured. Charlotte County Animal Control took the four llamas to a veterinary hospital for a checkup.

"The animals were very easy to deal with," said Charlotte County Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Dee Hawkins-Garland, although, "they were startled and had been tossed around in that trailer." Hawkins-Garland added: "I've been with the department for 24 years and this is the first time I've ever dealt with llamas."

The driver of the pickup, a man in his 20s, suffered minor injuries and is in stable condition at a nearby hospital (for humans).