MOORESVILLE, N.C. — An 80-year-old woman was placed on life support following a horse-drawn wagon accident at Lazy 5 Ranch in Rowan County on Saturday, Oct. 17, that left six people injured and sent three to area hospitals.
The accident occurred at the animal attraction at 15100 Mooresville Road.
In a statement, Lazy 5 Ranch officials said a tree limb fell during a horse-drawn wagon ride and struck the side of the wagon. The impact startled the horses, causing them to jump and three passengers to fall from the wagon.
Emergency medical crews responded and transported all three passengers to local hospitals for evaluation and treatment.
According to WBTV, the 80-year-old woman suffered severe head trauma. Her son, Eddie Quesenberry, told the television station his mother was on life support and was expected to spend several months in the hospital recovering.
Quesenberry also said his aunt was seriously injured in the accident. Additional information about her condition was not immediately available.
Although six people were reportedly injured, only three required transportation to hospitals. Ranch officials said the remaining passengers were either unharmed or declined medical assistance.
The wagon driver was not seriously injured, according to the ranch. Officials also reported the horses were evaluated, found unharmed and returned to work.
In its statement, Lazy 5 Ranch acknowledged the risks associated with operating horse-drawn wagon rides and outlined safety measures involving equipment design, driver training, horse selection and road maintenance.
Ranch officials said more than 3 million visitors have participated in horse-drawn wagon rides throughout the attraction’s history. According to the statement, Saturday’s accident was the first involving hospitalizations requiring an overnight stay.
The ranch expressed concern for those injured and their families while emphasizing its commitment to visitor, employee and animal safety.
