A McKinney business owner says she’s out thousands of dollars in veterinarian bills, lost income and legal expenses after a freak accident near the city’s historic downtown.
Shannon Cole has operated Happy Trails Carriage Service in downtown McKinney for nine years.
She says on March 27, she was driving passengers with her carriage horses, Jasper and Silver, when a driver tried to pass the carriage on a narrow street.
The car clipped the animals, fracturing Jasper’s leg, injuring Silver’s shoulder and sending both crashing into a parked truck.
“It was like a domino effect,” Cole said. “It was all I could do to hang onto them, because we could have had a really bad runaway situation through town.”
Cole said her horses’ injuries have left her unable to operate her business, losing income of at least $1,500 per week.
The worst part, however, is the painful recovery process.
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“This just absolutely broke my heart because I love them more than life. These guys are like my children,” Cole said.
According to Cole, the parked truck damaged in the accident was not listed in the report taken by McKinney Police, but sustained $1,000 in damages.
Because her horses fell into the vehicle, she may end up liable.
Police have advised her to file a civil lawsuit against the driver of the passing car, because under state law, hitting an animal effectively carries no penalty.
Cole said she is working with a lawyer and intends to file.
She is hoping to have both horses fully recovered by fall.
In the meantime, she’ll be missing the peak of wedding and prom season.
You can learn more about her business by visiting her website.
Cole said the driver did reach out to apologize by Facebook message.
