Some emergency calls demand more than flashing lights and sirens. In San Mateo County, one recent response required a dose of old-fashioned bull-handling expertise.
San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called Tuesday evening to help the California Highway Patrol after a large bull was spotted roaming loose along Highway 35. Images shared by the department show officers trying to guide the animal away from traffic, along with the arrival of a good Samaritan who helped bring the wayward bull under control.
The sheriff’s department said deputies spent hours trying to corral the animal without success before turning to someone with the experience to handle the job. That person was Half Moon Bay resident Samuel Ramos Palomino, who stepped in to help authorities move the stubborn bull safely back home.
San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies work near a bull that had been running loose along Highway 35, creating a hazard for motorists. (San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office)
Palomino, a foreman at Sea Horse Ranch with 35 years of experience working with large animals, was asleep when deputies contacted him shortly after midnight. Even though he was due at work at 4 a.m., he got up, readied his truck and livestock trailer, and headed out to assist.
Authorities said the effort that followed was far from simple.
Working with Sheriff’s Office deputies and CHP officers, Palomino tracked the bull for several miles as the group made repeated attempts to lasso the animal and clear the roadway.
A loose bull is secured after traveling several miles along Highway 35 as deputies and CHP officers work to clear the roadway. (San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office)
Eventually, the team was able to take the bull literally by the horns.
Once the animal was secured, Samuel used his expertise to safely load it into his trailer. He then went one step further, providing a secure location for the bull until it could be returned home at daybreak.
First responders approach a bull that had been traveling along Highway 35, posing a hazard to passing motorists. (San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office)
By the time the job was done, it was about 2:30 a.m. or just 90 minutes before Palomino had to get up for work, the sheriff’s department said.
The department lauded the foreman’s hands-on assistance, saying that he likely prevented a serious collision or injury on the busy highway.
Samuel Ramos Palomino meets with Coastside Patrol Bureau Capt. Allen and Half Moon Bay City Manager Chidester following the overnight response on Highway 35. (San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office)
Coastside Patrol Bureau Capt. Allen and Half Moon Bay City Manager Chidester later met with Samuel in person to thank him for answering the call.
“Samuel, thank you for answering ours,” the department said. “Your skill, courage, and willingness to help made the Coastside a safer place that night.”
