TONOPAH -- Several fire department personnel were stung by bees, after a commercial vehicle transporting them rolled over, causing them to be released yesterday afternoon on US Highway 6.

Yesterday afternoon at around 12:30 pm, troopers from the Nevada Highway Patrol were dispatched to a commercial motor vehicle accident on US Highway 6, approximately 3 miles east of Tonopah in Nye County.  The vehicle involved was a 2002 Peterbilt tractor pulling a flatbed trailer transporting honey bees and driven by 66-year-old Rudy L. Breneman of Marion, South Dakota.

Breneman told troopers at the scene that he had just pulled over onto the narrow right dirt shoulder to inspect his load before proceeding into Tonopah.  The weight of the truck and trailer, coupled with the fact the shoulder was slanted slightly, caused the big rig to sink into the soft dirt creating an unstable platform for the unit to remain upright.  The truck and trailer rolled over onto its side breeching many of the hives.

Fire department personnel were called to the scene and attempted to calm and contain the displaced bees with water prior to a response from bee keepers from out of the area.  The event resulted in several bee stings to the responding personnel.

Breneman was not injured in the accident and was not cited for the incident either.  His trip had originated in Bruce, South Dakota and he was scheduled to transport the bees to Arvin, California.