Arrest made in crash that killed 2 horses, injured 2 riders in Lake View Terrace

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Sunday, October 27, 2019
A suspect was arrested after fleeing the scene of a crash that killed two horses and injured two riders in Lake View Terrace Friday evening.

LAKE VIEW TERRACE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A suspect was arrested after fleeing the scene of a crash that killed two horses and left two riders in critical condition in Lake View Terrace Friday evening.

Rolando Garcia, 32, is accused of crashing his van into a husband and wife riding on horseback. The van then crashed into a wall. Garcia fled the scene on foot but was later apprehended.

The incident happened shortly before 10 p.m. at Foothill Boulevard and Wheatland Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The victims were identified by friends as Alejandra Nieves and Leopoldo Solorio. They were transported in critical condition.

Nieves and Solorio were riding single file and were feet away from their stables when the incident occurred.

Garcia was charged with felony hit-and-run.

Footage from AIR7 HD showed the horses lying in a roadway.

Residents in the neighborhood told Eyewitness News that it's common to see riders in the evening.

"The riders aren't wearing reflective gear. The horses aren't wearing reflective gear. There's people that speed down this street....some of them exceeding 80 in their little sports cars and this is what happens," said Lake View Terrace resident, Darcy Anderson.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the victims.