Dallas

14-Year-Old and Two Horses Killed After Driver Crashes Into Group Riding Stolen Horses in Texas

Two teens stable, two horses are dead after a crash with a vehicle in Dallas Tuesday morning

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A child is dead after a driver and three teens riding stolen horses collided in Dallas early Tuesday, police say.

The crash happened at about 5:30 a.m. along Great Trinity Forest Way, on a bridge crossing Texas 310/South Central Expressway when a car collided with three juveniles on horseback.

A 14-year-old rider died at the scene and the two other riders, a 16-year-old, and a 17-year-old were taken to a local hospital in stable condition, Dallas Police said.

One of the horses died at the scene and a second had to be euthanized. The third horse was expected to survive.

According to the Dallas Police, it was later determined that the horses the teenagers were riding had been stolen, though specific details on when the horses had been taken were not immediately available. Police did say the horses were taken from a location several miles away near Interstate 20 and Bonnie View Road and Lorenza Gooch confirmed to NBC 5 that he was the owner of the horses.

It was previously reported by police that the driver who hit the horses left the scene after the crash, however, police later said the driver remained at the location and is not expected to face any charges. Further details about the crash have not yet been released by investigators.

The investigation into the crash and theft is ongoing. Police have not said whether the juveniles will face charges.

The crash and loss of life is the kind of tragedy that pains Dr. James Hatley, both as a horse owner in Southern Dallas and as a pastor.

As soon as Hatley heard of the crash, he said he rushed to his small ranch to make sure it wasn’t his horses that were stolen.

“To the parents that lost a child, I wanted to tell you that we’re praying for you,” he said, adding that a lack of parenting and resources for teens in Southern Dallas is to blame for a lot of criminality among youths.

“We as parents, the kids are our future, and so if we wait until a child gets to be 13 to try and discipline them, you’ve already lost that child,” said Hatley. “Not only can the children and the parents learn but this city ought to learn from this. The city ought to start spending money on a facility for these kids.”

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, horseback riders are to ride with the flow of traffic in the same way a bicyclist would ride with traffic. Horses are a means of transportation and are considered non-motorized vehicles.

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