SOUTHWEST RANCHES, Fla. – A truck struck two people riding horses Sunday in Southwest Ranches, throwing the riders from the horses and killing the animals, police said.
Davie police Maj. Dale Engle said a pickup truck struck an adult guide and a 9-year-old girl while they were on horseback along Griffin Road near Southwest 198th Terrace.
Engle said the driver of the pickup truck was distracted when he struck the horses.
"He said that he had dropped his cellphone, was distracted for that brief period of time and then struck the two horses," Engle said.
Both horses died at the scene.
The victims were thrown from the horses and taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood.
Engle said both riders suffered life-threatening injuries. He said traffic homicide detectives are investigating the crash.
The stretch of Griffin Road was closed for nearly five hours during the police investigation.