Car, horse-drawn carriage collide in Driver
Published 9:32 pm Saturday, December 19, 2020
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A crash between a vehicle and a carriage happened in Driver on Saturday evening at a Christmas-themed event.
The accident was reported at 7:34 p.m., according to city spokesman Andy Franklin.
Horse and carriage rides were offered at the Christmas in Driver event.
Franklin said a handler was on the ground with the horse, and there was nobody in the carriage. Some fireworks went off and spooked the horse, which ran into the roadway pulling the carriage. A vehicle hit the carriage, Franklin said. The accident happened at the intersection of Kings Highway and Nansemond Parkway.
There were no visible injuries to the horse on scene, but it has been transported to a veterinarian for evaluation, Franklin said. The driver of the vehicle as well as the horse handler also were transported to hospitals with injuries not considered life-threatening.
There was major damage to the carriage and vehicle. Franklin said the crash is still under investigation.
The Christmas in Driver Facebook page posted an update late Saturday: “We wanted to provide an update about tonight’s event. We are so thankful that it seems as though the driver of the vehicle involved in the horse and carriage incident this evening is going to be OK, as well as the horse and the handler.
“We are so appreciative of the many people at our event that jumped into action to assist,” the post continued. “Due to tonight’s unfortunate circumstances and because tomorrow’s unfavorable forecast , we have opted not to open for our final night, Sunday, December 20, 2020. We respectfully ask you to refrain from any negative comments, as this has been a very difficult night for everyone involved. We are very sad and overwhelmed about what happened and appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers for all involved.”