Authorities say 66-year-old truck driver Rudy Breneman had been hauling a load of bees from Bruce, S.D., to California when he pulled to the side of the highway east of Tonopah - about 200 miles northwest of Las Vegas - on Monday afternoon.
Breneman told troopers the big rig started sinking into the soft dirt of the shoulder and eventually tipped over, breaking open many of the hives.
State troopers, sheriff's deputies and firefighters all were stung.
Trooper Wes Hubred says he was stung seven times.
Troopers say firefighters tried to contain the bees with water before beekeepers arrived.
Breneman wasn't injured in the accident and is not being cited.
