Two people charged after fatal accident involving wild horse in Corolla

COROLLA, NC (WAVY) — Two people are facing charges after a wild stallion was struck by a side-by-side UTV (utility task vehicle) on the Outer Banks over the weekend, forcing the horse to be euthanized.

The Corolla Wild Horse Fund speaks of a great loss for the herd that could be felt for generations to come.

“It’s tragic, but sometimes accidents happen,” said herd manager Meg Puckett. “When they’re things that could have been prevented, especially when they’re caused by reckless driving or people not following the law or whatever, it just makes it that much worse.”

The horse, a 10-year-old stallion named Bullwinkle, had to be euthanized due to severe injuries to both hind legs, internal bleeding and abrasions all over his back.

According to Puckett, this is a tragic example of how reckless human behavior can harm the herd.

“When you think about the number of foals he could have ultimately sired, and then the number of foals and so on and so forth, we’re talking about losses across generations,” Puckett said.

The wild horses that roam the beaches at the northern end of the Outer Banks are an endangered breed. There are only about 100 Banker horses left in the 15-by-15-foot area in Currituck County, and about 100 in Shackleford.

“In both places they are under pressure, they are struggling with climate change and small gene pools,” Puckett said, “so every single individual is critical to the long-term survival of the herd.”

Puckett said Bullwinkle was a 10-year-old stallion at his best and the age when he began having mares and breeding.

Puckett said they had been following Bullwinkle for a while and recently posted a video on her Facebook page of Bullwinkle and another stallion Dispute over mares.

“He did that to a lot of stallions,” Puckett said. “He was known for trying to win mares or steal mares from other stallions.”

On Friday evening, a visitor was surf fishing with his child, witnessed the accident between Bullwinkle and a UTV and called 911.

“He found the horse for me while I was on the phone with him and took some videos and pictures of him – is the horse standing, is it moving, is it lying down?” Puckett said. “At that point, the horse was standing, it was moving a little bit, it was putting weight on all four legs, but it had a lot of adrenaline.”

Currituck County officials say Porter Williamson, of Chesapeake, was driving the car and fled the scene of the accident. He was charged with RDO (resist, delay, obstruct). Rhonda Williamson was also charged with RDO and giving false information to officers.

“We believe the force of the impact caused him to spin,” Puckett said, “and that this caused the ligaments in his other leg to tear. This has rendered both of his hind legs useless and he also has significant bleeding and internal injuries to his abdomen.”

Puckett said the horses have to overcome numerous natural challenges, such as climate change and disease.

“The lives of these horses are not easy in general, and the natural world is difficult,” Puckett said. “They are very lucky if they live to a ripe old age. They are very lucky if they are strong enough to produce offspring, and that is natural.”

She said that with all the natural challenges they have to overcome, it is even harder when humans add to it and make it even harder. She said it is so unnecessary, frustrating and avoidable.

“People need to understand that it’s a privilege to have access to this habitat,” Puckett said, “and when they do that – whether they’re tourists or residents, property owners, day trippers, you know, any person who sets foot on this beach – (they need to) take responsibility for themselves and their actions.”

By taking a few simple steps, you can help ensure the herd continues for years to come, such as picking up your trash at the beach or letting the air out of your tires before you hit the beach.

“It’s just about having a little pride in the area,” Puckett said, “being respectful of the area and understanding that we all have a personal responsibility to keep it safe and clean and to protect the wildlife and its environment.”

Puckett said they don’t have Bullwinkle’s DNA on file, so they’re not sure if any of his relatives are still at the beach, but they plan to test and check.

“He may have no relatives left and may be the last of his line,” Puckett said. “If that’s the case, then those genetic remnants are lost forever and will never come back.”

10 On Your Side has contacted Porter Williamson, who declined to comment at this time.