An afternoon carriage ride through Central Park ended in tragedy Wednesday when an 18-year-old passenger was fatally thrown from a runaway horse-drawn carriage, police said. The horse bolted while its driver was apparently away from the reins near Tavern on the Green, leaving the passengers unable to control it before it slammed into another carriage and tipped over, according to the NYPD. The driver had reportedly stepped out to take a photo of his passengers when the horse took off. The teen was ejected, struck his head on the pavement, and was taken to a hospital in critical condition; he later died. Other family members in the carriage suffered only minor injuries, NBC News reports. The New York Daily News reports they were tourists visiting from India.
A fellow carriage driver, Christina Hansen, said she rushed over, secured the horse, and found it unharmed. The Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage drivers, called the episode "unacceptable," saying a driver should never step away to take photos; it says it backs a full investigation. The driver was later suspended, and the horse in question has been retired, PIX 11 reports. The horse had reportedly been working in the park for just six weeks. The crash comes a week after a 16-year-old carriage horse died on camera after eating a toxic plant in the park, incidents that have revived debate over "Ryder's Law," a proposed City Council measure to phase out carriage horses in Central Park. The Central Park Conservancy says this is believed to be the first human death related to the park's horse-drawn carriages.
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