The bull, "unsettled from the beginning," had been agitated for two days before it escaped its new enclosure near Wilfred and Taylor avenues around 3 a.m. Monday, Whipple said.
It wandered at least a mile by 7:30 a.m., when it turned up in the parking lot for the Graton Resort - Casino, Rohnert Park Public Safety Lt. Jeff Taylor said. Despite being pursued by its owner, the bull continued to roam about through the day, finally finding its way back to the busy commercial area around the casino and a nearby In-N-Out Burger around 3:30 p.m., Taylor said.
A short time later, it crossed Redwood Drive and jumped a fence onto Highway 101, running northbound in and out of southbound, rush-hour traffic, which ground to a halt, the CHP said. The bull ran for more than a mile before it veered off onto Todd Road in south Santa Rosa.
Rincon Valley firefighters at the Todd Road station were alerted to a bull in the parking lot by a knock at the door, Battalion Chief Joe Giordani said.
They tried to help the owner and a companion subdue the bull. But it only became more upset, eluding capture and heading into the Moorland Avenue residential area, Whipple said.
Finally, after it knocked down one man trying to catch it and charged an animal control officer, forcing him to dive to safety, a decision was made to put the animal down, Whipple said.
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