Hit-and-run kills horse, injures riders

CHERRYVILLE, NC (AP) — A hit-and-run driver has killed a horse and injured its riders in a collision near Cherryville.

The Gaston Gazette reports the collision happened Sunday as 24-year-old James Burke and 22-year-old Carlee Jones were returning on horseback from a nearby Walmart.

Highway Patrol Trooper Frank O’Dell says the two were struck by a car while their horse was standing in the road as they talked to a friend.

The driver sped away as the riders were thrown to the ground, and the horse was killed.

Burke and Jones were taken to a hospital in Shelby. No information was available on their conditions.

O’Dell says pieces of the car may help identify the driver.

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Information from: The Gaston Gazette, http://www.gastongazette.com

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