A horse was killed after a truck struck it in the roadway in Wadsworth Monday evening and the sheriff says they are searching for the hit-and-run driver.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Newport Fire Protection District responded around 9:10 p.m. Monday to the 40800 block of North Delany Road in Wadsworth for a report of a vehicle crash involving a horse.
The Gurnee Police Department and Waukegan Police Department were also called to the scene to assist.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and found several people tending to the injured horse, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
A preliminary investigation shows a larger vehicle, likely a pickup truck, was traveling northbound on Delany Road.
It appears the horse was walking southbound in the northbound lane of traffic, Covelli said.
The driver of the pickup truck struck the horse and did not stop at the scene.
The horse sustained major injuries in the collision and a veterinarian responded to the scene.
“Unfortunately, the veterinarian determined the only course of action was to euthanize the horse, due to the horse’s injuries,” Covelli said.
Covelli said it is unclear if there was anyone riding the horse or if the horse escaped from a nearby ranch.
The area was checked with a drone and canine team to determine if an injured rider from the horse was in the area. The search did not reveal a rider.
Multiple ranches and horse farms in the area were checked in an attempt to locate the owner of the horse but those attempts were unsuccessful.
The sheriff’s office continues to investigate and anyone with information about the horse or the hit-and-run crash is asked to call the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 847-377-4000.