COROLLA, N.C. (WAVY) — Two people face charges after a wild stallion was hit by a side-by-side UTV, or utility task vehicle, on the Outer Banks over the weekend. The horse had to be euthanized.
The Corolla Wild Horse Fund calls it a major 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 it’s things that could be prevented, especially when it’s caused by reckless driving or people not following the laws or whatever it is, it just makes it so much worse.”
The horse, a 10-year-old stallion named Bullwinkle, had to be put down for major injuries to both back legs, internal bleeding and scrapes all over his back.
Puckett said this is a tragic example of how reckless human behavior can cause damage to the herd.
“If you think about the number of foals he could’ve eventually sired, and then the number of foals and then on and on and on, you’re talking generations and generations of loss,” Puckett said.
The wild horses that roam the beaches on the North End of the Outer Banks are an endangered breed. There are only about 100 Banker horses left in the four-by-four area in Currituck County, and about 100 down at Shackleford.
“In both places they’re being encroached upon, they’re dealing with climate change, small gene pools,” Puckett said, “so every single individual is just critically important for the long-term survival of the herd.”
Puckett said Bullwinkle was a 10-year-old stallion who was in his prime, and was at the age where he was starting to acquire mares and reproduce.
Puckett said they have been tracking Bullwinkle for awhile now and recently posted a video to their Facebook page of Bullwinkle and another stallion fighting over mares.
“He did that a lot with a lot of stallions,” Puckett said. “He was just known for trying to win mares or trying to steal mares from the other stallions.”
On Friday night, a visitor was surf fishing with his child and witnessed the crash involving Bullwinkle and a UTV and called 911.
“He located the horse for me while I was on the phone with him and took some videos and pictures of him — is the horse up, is the horse moving, is he down?” Puckett said. “At that point, the horse was standing, he was moving around a little bit, he was putting weight on all four legs, but he had a lot of adrenaline.”
Currituck County deputies say Porter Williamson of Chesapeake was driving and fled the scene. He was charged with RDO — resist, delay, obstruct. Rhonda Williamson was also charged with RDO and giving false information to deputies.
“We think the force of the impact caused him to spin,” Puckett said, “and that caused the ligaments in his other leg to be torn, so basically, both his hind legs were rendered useless and he also had significant bleeding, internal injuries to his abdomen.”
Puckett said the horses have so many natural challenges to overcome, such as climate change or disease.
“It’s not an easy life for these horses in general, just a natural wildlife is difficult,” Puckett said. “They are very lucky if they survive to an old age. They’re very lucky if they are strong enough to produce offspring, and that’s just all natural.”
She said with all the natural challenges that they have to overcome, it’s even more difficult when humans add to it and make it more difficult. She said it’s so unnecessary, frustrating and preventable.
“People need to understand that it’s a privilege to be able to access that habitat,” Puckett said, “and if they do — whether they’re tourists or they’re residents, property owners, day-trippers, you know any person who steps foot on that beach — [they need] to be responsible for themselves and their actions.”
There are some simple things you can do to help preserve the herd for years to come, such as picking up your trash while out on the beach or letting air out of your tires before entering the beach.
“It’s just taking a little bit of pride in the area,” Puckett said, “being respectful of the area and understanding that we all have a personal responsibility to keep it safe, keep it clean and protect the wildlife and their environment.”
Puckett said they didn’t have Bullwinkle’s DNA on file, so they aren’t sure if any of his relatives are still on the beach, but they plan to test it and see.
“He might not have any relatives, he could be the last of his line,” Puckett said, “and if that’s the case, then those genetics are just gone forever and never coming back.”
10 On Your Side did get in touch with Porter Williamson, who declined comment at this time.