A hit-and-run driver struck a horse Monday night near Wadsworth, and the animal had to be euthanized, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
The animal was hit at around 9:10 p.m. in the 40800 block of Delany Road. When officers responded, several people were already there tending to the injured horse.
The sheriff’s office said it believes a large vehicle, probably a pickup truck, hit the horse as it walked south in the northbound lane of the road.
The driver did not remain on the scene. Police said they do not know if anyone had been riding the horse, or whether it escaped from a nearby ranch. Authorities searched the area with a drone and a police dog, but the search did not turn up a rider.
The horse received major injuries. A veterinarian was called, and it was determined that the horse could not be saved, so it was euthanized.
Authorities have not been able to determine who owned the horse. Anyone with information about the crash or the horse’s owner is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (847) 377-4000.
