Police charged a driver who crashed into a horse and buggy in Norridgewock on Monday afternoon that injured the horse and the lone occupant of the carriage, the Morning Sentinel reported.
The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office charged Brittany Guerette, 34, of Skowhegan, with misdemeanor driving to endanger, and cited her with several traffic violations, including imprudent speed, failure to yield to right of way, improper passing, failure to use caution when passing an animal, and failure to maintain control of vehicle, the newspaper reported, citing a statement issued by Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster on Tuesday evening.
“An operator may not knowingly operate a motor vehicle in a manner to annoy, startle, harass or frighten an animal being ridden or driven,” Lancaster said in the statement.
Guerette was driving west on River Road just after 1:30 p.m. when she tried to pass the horse and buggy, which was traveling in the same direction, Lancaster said.
Guerette’s vehicle hit the carriage, damaging the motor vehicle and the carriage. A photo published by the Sentinel showed the carriage on its side. The horse was severely injured but alive as of Tuesday evening, according to Lancaster.
The driver of the carriage, Chriss Miller, 47, of Mercer, was brought to Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
