A horseback rider has serious injuries after her horse was struck by a passing vehicle in Kittitas County on Tuesday afternoon.
The Washington State Patrol says it happened at around 5:40 p.m. on State Route 10 about five miles west of Ellensburg when a station wagon driven by 59-year-old Sarika A. Criswell of Ronald hit the horse and its rider, 54-year-old Rachel I. Boyd of Langley.
Boyd suffered serious injuries in the accident and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, while Criswell was uninjured.
A report from the State Patrol indicates Criswell struck the horse when it suddenly stepped into the roadway.
Troopers say intoxicants were not a factor in the incident, and the horse sustained serious injuries and had to be euthanized at the scene.
Horses at the Apple Blossom Festival
Several horses made their way down the Apple Blossom Festival parade route.
Gallery Credit: Terra Sokol