Wild horse killed by vehicle driving in dark on Outer Banks beach, NC cops say
A wild stallion wandering the northern Outer Banks was fatally struck by a vehicle in the dark, according to investigators in North Carolina.
The 26-year-old Chevy Tahoe driver was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, the Outer Banks Voice reports. She lives in the coastal Carova community, the new site says.
It happened around 12 a.m. Saturday, June 14, and the horse was identified as a 5-year-old named Alexander, the Corolla Wild Horse Fund reported in a Facebook post.
'What we can say for sure right now is that this is a tremendous loss for the herd and for those of us who are close to these horses and work so hard to protect them,' herd manager Meg Puckett wrote in the June 14 post.
'Alex was a very special young horse, and a lot of extra effort went into keeping him wild and free. He survived the first couple years of his life despite some extraordinary challenges, grew up into a beautiful young stallion, and had a bright future ahead of him. He was the last of his mother's offspring and we had high hopes that he would carry on the family line. Alex's genetics can never be replaced, and in a critically endangered population that is a devastating blow.'
Off-road vehicles are welcomed on designated Outer Banks beaches, including in the Corolla/Carova area where the paved end of NC 12 ends, OBX Beach Access reports. Guidelines include a 35-mph speed limit that drops to 15 mph when people are within 300 feet, the site says.
The popular practice has resulted in multiple horses being killed over the years, many of them part of the Corolla herd.
'Please let this tragedy serve as a reminder to be extremely cautious when driving on the 4x4. Be aware of your surroundings and drive slowly and carefully — especially at night,' Puckett wrote.
Corolla, on the northernmost part of the Outer Banks, hosts a herd of about 110 horses that have adapted over the centuries to a unique island diet. The free-roaming herd is tended by the nonprofit Corolla Wild Horse Fund, including all their medical needs and maintaining a farm to keep those removed from the wild.
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