Two loose horses were killed early Friday morning after they were hit by separate vehicles on Route 120 near Woodstock, fire officials said.
The Woodstock Fire Rescue District and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded around 4:57 a.m. Friday to Route 120 and Thompson Road in unincorporated Woodstock for a report of a vehicle crash.
Alex Vucha, a spokesperson for the Woodstock Fire Rescue District, said firefighters arrived and found two vehicles with heavy damage.
Crews also found two large horses that were deceased in the roadway. Route 120 was immediately closed in both directions.
A white Ford van struck the first horse at the intersection of Thompson Road and Route 120 and a red GMC pickup truck struck the second horse just west of the intersection.
Both vehicles were traveling eastbound on Route 120 at the time of the collision.
The male drivers of the two vehicles were the sole occupants and both were uninjured.
Firefighters remained on the scene for one and a half hours to assist with cleaning the roadway and removing the horses.
“We were not made aware of how or why the horses got into the roadway, but the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is investigating this crash,” Vucha said.
The roadway was reopened in both directions at 6:30 a.m.