“On 07/28/19 at approximately 11:05 AM, a horseback rider was riding a horse near US-395, just north of Cactus Flats Rd. in Olancha, CA.
At the same time, Mark Langford of Bishop, CA, was driving his pickup pulling a travel trailer southbound on US-395 at approximately 55-60 MPH and was approaching the horse and rider.
As the pickup approached the horse and rider, he observed the horse rear up. Mr. Langford attempted to move to the left to give them room, but the horse suddenly bolted into the southbound lane of US-395. The horse ran directly into the right side of the pickup and trailer. Both the horse and rider both sustained immediate fatal injuries from the collision. There were no injuries to the occupants of the pickup.
This collision is still under investigation by Bishop CHP. The identity of the deceased party will be released through the Inyo County Coroners Office.”
I was there and was stuck in the south bound lane for about a hour. I wondering if the horse suffered heat stroke and freaked out. It was 107 degrees. Why in the world would the rider be out on their on their horse in that heat ?
Our prayers go out to the family of the rider and this beautiful animal. We were traveling northbound south of the accident and waited two hours for the accident investigation/clean-up. As we arrived at the scene, CHP was alternating allowing a few cars going by in each direction. As we… Read more »
I don’t know what really happened, but I’d sure like to know how they can prove how fast the guy was going when this happened? I’d love to hear the horses and CHP side of this story??
P.S. Olancha, To many good people have died due to your detour road!
After she sent an e-mail about the last crash that killed 3 earlier this month. My wife just got a e-mail form Cal-Trans that said the “By-Pass” will start being built in fall of 2020 and open two years later. For some of us in Olancha it can’t happen fast… Read more »
Years ago I was riding my bike on a rural road and was passing a horse and rider I assumed were safely off the road. At the last moment the horse shied and I rode into the back of it. I was shaken up (the horse rider even more so,… Read more »
How about a horse and rider not ride along the side of a highway where cars are traveling at high rates of speeds! Animals are animals and can be spooked at any point by anything. Very unfortunate accident.
Livestock should never be on a highway shoulder. Thankfully the driver of the vehicle is OK.
So sad….
I drive the 395 quite often and I have observed that cars and trucks travel too fast in certain areas. I believe whenever an animal is near a road, the driver should automatically slow down to pass it. 55-60 mph seems too fast near an animal and rider. What a… Read more »
Certainly a terrible accident but rather than the driver was at fault for driving too fast (in fact, the speed limit) how about some common sense in keeping yourself and your animal far from a busy highway?