Dead Deer Causes Nasty Snarl On Ortega Highway

That horrific delay local commuters experienced this morning on the Ortega Highway was caused by a dead deer.

The animal, which was presumed to have been hit by a vehicle, jammed traffic on SR 74 during Monday morning's commute, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The deer was reported near mile marker 6 in Orange County.

One of the two lanes on the east-to-west arterial was closed from between 6:20 a.m. and 7:20 a.m. as crews worked to move the deer to the right-hand side of the highway, according to the CHP. 

Radio reports said commuters heading into Orange County from Lake Elsinore experienced major delays.