Wild horse with ‘harem’ of mates killed by car on Outer Banks, NC officials say

A wild stallion was struck and killed by a vehicle an hour before dawn on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, according to investigators.

It happened around 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11, in a part of Corolla set aside for off-road vehicles, the Corolla Wild Horse Fund reported in a news release. An investigation into the crash is being handled by the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office.

“A driver called 911 to report having struck a horse in the 2000 block of Sandpiper Road in the 4x4 area,” the nonprofit fund reported.

“The horse who was struck was 10-year-old stallion Francisco. ... After examining the body, our veterinarian determined that Francisco sustained the following fatal injuries: complete fracture of the radius and ulna, ruptured eye with periocular fractures, fractured ribs with subcutaneous emphysema, and likely ruptured diaphragm with pneumoabdomen.”

It’s the third time this year a horse has been struck by a vehicle in Corolla, though one of the horses survived with non-life-threatening injuries to its shoulder, the fund says.

The norm is for young stallions to lead harems of mares, and Francisco had a family that included four mares, a yearling colt, and a 4-month-old colt, the fund reports.

However, it’s not known for sure if the colts were Francisco’s or belonged to one of the other stallions that roam the island, officials said.

“Our staff has observed the rest of the horses in the harem behaving normally and we have no reason to be concerned for their safety or well-being at this time,” the fund says.

“We cannot emphasize enough the importance of obeying all traffic regulations on the 4-wheel-drive. These tragic incidents can be avoided through vigilance and personal responsibility.“

The Corolla Wild Horse Fund uses donations to tend the health and safety needs of about 100 wild horses roaming on the northern Outer Banks.

Corolla is about a 230-mile drive northeast from Raleigh.