Two horses hit, killed by county vehicle; no charges filed

TOME — The investigation of a collision between a Valencia County Animal Services vehicle and two horses on Sandhill Road in Tomé, which left both animals dead, has been completed.

According to the New Mexico State Police report, the driver was traveling at or about the posted speed at the time of the crash and will not be cited.

State police investigated the incident rather than the Valencia County Sheriff’s office since a county employee was involved.

NMSP sent the report to Valencia County human resources director Orlando Montoya on Monday, Dec. 16, who provided it to the News-Bulletin. Montoya said he is reviewing the report to determine if there were any violations of county policy on the part of the county employee.

According to the crash report, written by NMSP patrolman Clayton Martinez, the animal control officer was driving south on Sandhill Road shortly after 3 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 26, and as he rounded a turn, he saw a horse run off the ditchbank on the west side of the road and into his lane of traffic.

The driver, who said he was traveling between 20 and 25 mph, immediately braked and swerved to the left to try to avoid the horse, the report reads, but did hit the horse with the driver’s side front of the 2024 Ford F250 he was driving for work.

“Once he stopped in the roadway, he observed a female riding a second horse on the ditchbank to the west of him,” the report reads. “It appeared the horse was at full speed when suddenly the horse and rider struck (the vehicle) on the passenger’s side near the front fender …”

The girl riding the second horse was transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital for unknown injuries by the time the police officer arrived on scene, so he interviewed her at the hospital.

According to the report, she told the officer she was riding her horse and leading another when the horse she was leading “got away from her and began running eastbound on the ditchbank, approaching Sandhill Road,” the report reads.

She tried to grab the lead rope to stop the horse but it yanked it from her hand. In his report, Martinez writes the girl remembers seeing the vehicle but didn’t remember how the first horse was struck.

“As she got to the roadway, all she remembers was seeing the headlights of (the vehicle). The rider stated both horses were running fast as they approached the roadway,” Martinez wrote. “The rider (said) as she hit (the vehicle) it was stopped in the roadway.”

During his investigation, Martinez didn’t find any skid marks on the road, which indicates the driver wasn’t traveling at an excessive speed. He goes on to write the injuries to the horses and damage to the county vehicle are all consistent with the statements made by the driver and the rider.

“Based off the scene and investigation, it can be determined (the vehicle) was traveling at or about the posted speed limit when the horse entered the roadway and was struck,” he wrote. “No citations were issued to (the driver).”

The report also notes alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

In a statement from Jess Weston, director of Valencia County Animal Services, he said the investigation by NMSP included drug and alcohol testing, as well as a review of vehicle and phone data of the employee.

“This was an unfortunate, unavoidable accident,” Weston wrote. “I ask the public to keep the (girl) and the driver in your thoughts and prayers as this has been a tragic event for both of them.”

Weston added if anyone has further questions, they can reach him directly at 505-866-2479.