TERRELL, Texas -- (Updated November 3, 2013, 7:07 p.m.) An overturned horse trailer caused major delays on eastbound IH 20 and Spur 557 on Wednesday afternoon, October 30, 2013.
TERRELL, Texas -- (Updated November 3, 2013, 7:07 p.m.) An overturned horse trailer caused major delays on eastbound IH 20 and Spur 557 on Wednesday afternoon, October 30, 2013.
At approximately 12:50 p.m., crews responded to the accident on the eastbound Spur 557 merger ramp onto IH 20. The truck and trailer went off the highway where it jackknifed and the trailer rolled onto its side. The truck and trailer separated and the truck remained upright.
A large highway light pole was struck during the accident and fell into the right lane. Another small vehicle was involved in the accident but did not sustain any major damage.
Joel Colgrove Jr., the driver of the truck, was heading back to Alabama after spending a week and a half at the U.S. Team Roping Championships in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. According to Colgrove, he was carrying four of his horses in the trailer at the time of the accident -- Soldier, Voodoo, Cowboy, and Bentley.
One horse was quickly removed from the trailer and emergency crews used a tow truck's crane to remove three additional horses. Two of the horses died at the scene due to their injuries and another had to be euthanized because of the injuries it suffered in the accident.
Soldier, the surviving horse, was taken to the Equine Veterinary Services in Terrell, Texas. According to Dr. Arnold at that location, “the remaining horse is at our clinic and doing okay right now.”
The driver reported hearing a vibration shortly before the accident but could not determine its origin. "I must have hydroplaned coming off of the ramp onto IH 20," said Colgrove. "It was just a really bad accident. I don't think it could have been prevented." One of the tow truck operators sustained a head wound and was treated at the scene by ETMS.
Crews began removing the trailer at approximately 3:45 p.m. Eastbound IH 20 traffic was backed up to FM 148 and eastbound Spur 557 traffic was backed up about a half-mile past FM 148.
The Terrell Police Department, the Terrell Fire Department, the Terrell Volunteer Fire Department, and the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office responded to the accident. Terrell Animal Control Officer Cilla Wichmann also responded to the accident and assisted emergency crews. While the financial value of the loss of the horses is unknown, their sentimental value is untold.
The previous report of $200,000 for the valuation of one of the deceased horses was provided by two independent unrelated sources. It has come to the attention of inForney.com the dollar amount reported is not accurate and we apologize for the mistake.
