SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KNX) — A Virgin of Guadalupe procession in Santa Rosa was abruptly interrupted Sunday morning when a drunk driver struck one of the horseback riders in the parade, Santa Rosa Police Department said.
Police said it happened on Old Redwood Highway at 1:38 a.m.
Video from the scene showed some procession participants hovering as emergency officials tried to keep people away from the area. At one point, someone is seen fanning a cowboy hat on the ground.
The man who was on the horse that was struck was taken to a nearby hospital and is in critical condition, while the house was taken away from the scene, according to a press release by the department. It’s unclear if the horse is alive or if it sustained any injuries.
Officers identified the suspect as 20-year-old Troy Hale.
Upon finding Hale’s car at his house, officers questioned Hale and found his blood alcohol level was above the legal limit, according to KRON4.
Following a search warrant, officers discovered pills believed to be fentanyl and suspected cocaine that police believed to be “possessed for the purpose of sale.”
Hale was on pretrial release following a July incident in which he had a loaded “ghost gun”, KRON 4 said.
Hale was booked into the Sonoma County Jail for felony violations of hit and run, DUI, Violation of Pretrial Release, and Possession of Narcotics for Sale.
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