A 25-year-old man was killed when a loose horse crashed through his car’s windshield on Interstate 15 in Norco, California, early Sunday morning, authorities reported.
The incident occurred around 2:05 a.m. on September 22, when firefighters responded to a “solo vehicle traffic collision with a horse” on the northbound lanes of I-15, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) / Riverside County Fire Department.
California Highway Patrol spokesman Javier Navarro said the victim was a front-seat passenger in a gray Honda Accord when the horse went through the windshield. The 27-year-old male driver suffered minor injuries and was transported to a hospital.
The horse, which also died in the collision, had escaped from a trailer after the vehicle towing it struck a guardrail. The animal reportedly made it to the median before attempting to cross the freeway, where it was first clipped by a black Honda Accord before crashing into the victims’ car.
The incident sparked a series of crashes on the highway, including an accident where a semitractor-trailer hit the empty horse carrier, according to the Associated Press.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the initial crash that led to the horse’s escape. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
