A 14-year-old girl was riding her horse along a North Dakota trail when she was hit by a train and airlifted to hospital – where she remains in a coma.
The unidentified girl was horseback riding across a railroad in Richland County, North Dakota when the Canadian Pacific train slammed into them.
The horse died on impact with the train – and the rider was left in critical condition.
After Richland County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of the incident – she was air-lifted to hospital and put into an induced coma.
The 14-year-old’s mother said she had three hours of surgery after breaking her tibia, fibula and clavicle in the freak accident.
A 14-year-old girl was riding her horse along a North Dakota trail when she was hit by a train and airlifted to hospital – where she remains in a coma
The 14-year-old’s mother said she had three hours of surgery after breaking her tibia, fibula and clavicle in the freak accident
Horses are notorious for getting spooked easily, and these occurrences happen so regularly that there’s a term for within the riding community for when it happens – the ‘spooky horse’
She was also left with a concussion, according to her mother – who said it’s still unclear how serious the head injury is.
The Canadian Pacific train involved in the crash was not damaged and nobody onboard was hurt.
An injury accident report alerted the local police at around 4:20 pm on Sunday November 12 – but it’s unclear what time the collision took place.
The train crashed into the horse and its rider on the rail road and path intersection just east of 88th Street and 165th Avenue.
Where the crash occurred is about three miles southeast of Mantador, North Dakota, which is a small rural city with a population of 67.
Mantador was created in 1886 by the Soo Line Railroad as a depot under the ‘Long Length Law – a rule that required depots to be placed at nine-mile intervals along the track in order to provide fuel and water for trains and postal service for settlers.
There are signs for the railroad that pop up sporadically up and down the route – but it’s unclear whether the 14-year-old was crossing at a location with one of the warnings.
The 14-year-old’s mother said she had three hours of surgery after breaking her tibia, fibula and clavicle in the freak accident
The Canadian Pacific train involved in the crash was not damaged and nobody onboard was hurt
On social media – people speculated that the crash may have been caused by the horse getting ‘spooked’ by the train’s whistle or another loud noise from the vehicle.
Horses are notorious for getting spooked easily, and these occurrences happen so regularly that there’s a term for within the riding community for when it happens – the ‘spooky horse’.
The creatures are prey animals with a natural instinct to look for danger – so they get easily startled or scared by sudden noises or movements and other indications of danger.
When this happens – the steeds can bolt, rear or even jump because their mode of defense from danger is speed, which causes them to flee from the objects that frighten them.