A Smithville man suffered serious injuries a few days before Thanksgiving after his car struck and killed a horse on Highway 70 at Snow Hill. Jose Torres, 20, was in critical condition and was airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital.

Trooper Chris Meness of the Tennessee Highway Patrol reported that Torres was traveling west going down Snow Hill in a 2020 Ford Fusion the night of Nov. 24 around 9:30 p.m. when he came upon a horse standing in the roadway. Although Torres hit his brakes trying to avoid a collision, the car struck the horse causing the animal to crash through the windshield seriously injuring Torres. The car then crossed the eastbound lanes of Highway 70 and went across Driver Lane before hitting a guard rail and coming to a stop.

Torres was airlifted from near the scene.

According to authorities, there were three horses in the road at the time of the crash which caused a separate accident at the same time and place.

THP Lieutenant Billy Prater reported that Alexandra Hancock, 32, of Smithville was traveling east on Highway 70 in a 2001 Chevy Tahoe when she hit a horse which was standing in the road. Hancock told the officer that she tried to avoid hitting the horse but was unable to do so. After impact, Hancock pulled to the shoulder of the road to wait for law enforcement officers to arrive. Hancock was not injured.