Driver arrested for hit-and-run involving wild horse in Currituck County

CURRITUCK COUNTY, N.C. — A Chesapeake man is facing charges after his SUV struck and killed a wild horse on an Outer Banks beach. Investigators in Currituck County say he tried to run away after the crash.

Late Friday night, officers responded to an accident involving a horse and a UTV on the beach. The driver of the UTV had run away, but witnesses provided a description of the driver and where he ran away.

Based on the registration of the destroyed UTV, officials were able to identify 57-year-old Porter Williamson of Chesapeake, Virginia, as the owner.

While towing the SUV, officers spotted Williamson and he attempted to flee again. Officers began pursuing Williamson and were able to arrest him shortly thereafter.

Police charged Williamson with resisting, delaying and hindering prosecution and set bail at $10,000. Rhonda Williamson was also charged with resisting, delaying and hindering prosecution and was held on bail of $5,000 for giving false information to law enforcement.

Tragically, the horse, identified by the Corolla Wild Horse Fund as a 10-year-old stallion named Bullwinkle, suffered severe injuries and had to be euthanized. The injuries included significant skin lacerations, a broken right hind leg, trauma to the left hind leg and severe internal injuries.

In a Facebook post, the Corolla Wild Horse Fund described Bullwinkle as a prime example of a wild banker stallion and talked about how he is damaging the genes of the endangered herd. Bullwinkle was buried at the edge of the meadow where he was last filmed the day before.