Horseback rider in religious procession hurt in DUI crash, California police say

A hit-and-run crash by an accused drunk driver seriously injured a horseback rider in an annual religious procession, California police said.

The procession of more than 100 people, many on horseback, was on Old Redwood Highway between Santa Rosa and Windsor when a vehicle hit a rider at 1:38 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, the Santa Rosa Police Department said in a news release. The driver fled.

The march began in Santa Rosa and was bound for Windsor to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, KPIX reported.

The rider was hospitalized in critical condition, police said. There was no word on the condition of his horse, which was taken from the scene by his friends.

Police found the wrecked vehicle parked at a home in northern Santa Rosa, the release said.

Officers arrested Troy Hale, 20, on suspicion of hit and run, DUI, violation of pretrial release and possession of narcotics for sale, police said.

A search of Hale’s home found suspected fentanyl pills and suspected cocaine, the release said.

Investigators also found ammunition, a violation of the terms of Hale’s pretrial release on a charge of possessing a loaded firearm in public from an arrest in July, according to police.

Catholic tradition says Our Lady of Guadalupe, a vision of Mary, made her first appearance in front of a peasant boy named Juan Diego in 1531 near Mexico City.

This story was originally published December 13, 2021 at 9:56 AM with the headline "Horseback rider in religious procession hurt in DUI crash, California police say."