Reporting By Amy Meyer | Mineral Wells Area News
MINERAL WELLS — A horse was euthanized after being struck by a vehicle late Thursday July 2nd in the 1700 block of East Hubbard Street, according to the Mineral Wells Police Department.
The collision occurred around 10 p.m. in the westbound lanes of East Hubbard Street. Police Chief Tim Denison said the occupants of the sedan were not injured, although the vehicle sustained significant damage after the horse rolled onto the windshield upon impact.
Due to the severity of the horse’s injuries, officers euthanized the animal at the scene.
According to horse owner Kat Henderson, the incident occurred as she and a friend were returning from a ride through town. Henderson said her friend began feeling lightheaded and dismounted from the horse she was riding. She said the horse, Fiona, then took a few steps into the roadway before being struck by the westbound vehicle.
“It just happened really fast, and it was an accident,” Henderson said in a video posted to social media Friday morning.
Henderson initially stated she believed the driver had not slowed before the collision. However, she later updated her statement after speaking with the driver’s family.
“I found out she is a young 17-year-old girl who truly did not see Fiona,” Henderson wrote in an update to her social media post. “The girl was not speeding, she was not driving erratically and she said that she genuinely did not see Fiona till the last minute and she did try to slam on her brakes.”
Henderson also urged the public not to blame the teenage driver.
“The last thing I want people to do is attack a young girl over a freak accident,” she wrote. “It’s easy to point the finger at somebody else and make them hold all the blame, but I know deep down I am very much responsible for this.”
Denison described the incident as “a tragic, tragic situation” and said an accident report has been completed. He said the case will be reviewed by detectives as part of the department’s standard investigative process to determine whether the collision was simply a tragic accident or whether any other factors contributed to the incident.
Police have not announced any charges, and the investigation remains ongoing.