According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident occurred around 4 a.m., May 6, on Highway 41 near Mecca Lane. Involving two cars and a horse.
Madera County, CA – Five people were hospitalized, and a horse was killed in a traffic collision that happened early Wednesday morning on Highway 41 in the Coarsegold community of Madera County.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident occurred around 4 a.m., May 6, on Highway 41 near Mecca Lane. Involving two cars and a horse.
The incident started when a 59-year-old man driving a 2021 Honda CR-V northbound came to a complete stop in the roadway after encountering a horse standing in the middle of the highway.
While the CR-V was stopped in the roadway, a 71-year-old Merced man driving a 2014 Honda Accord southbound on the highway approached the area but failed to see the horse.
The Accord struck the horse, and the impact redirected the car to the southeast, where it crashed into the front of the CR-V. The Accord then continued further before tumbling down the embankment on the east side of the highway.
Emergency personnel responded to the scene shortly after the crash.
The driver of the Accord and his three passengers were all airlifted to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. The driver suffered major head injuries, and his passengers suffered moderate to major head injuries. The passengers’ ages range from 51 to 75.
The driver of the CR-V was also taken to the same hospital by ground ambulance for treatment of minor to moderate injuries.
The horse died in the accident.
Authorities are investigating the collision.