Girl released from hospital, dad remains in intensive care after horse bolts into crowd at fair



CHEHALIS, Wash. -- A horse pulling a carriage at the Southwest Washington Fair on Friday got spooked and bolted through a crowd, injuring five people, including a 4-year-old girl, authorities said.

The girl's father was airlifted to Seattle's Harborview Medical Center. His 4-year-old daughter was treated at a local hospital first but then airlifted to Harborview, too.  They were both in intensive care.

The 4-year-old was released from Harborview Sunday. Her father remains in intensive care.

The other three victims were taken to a local hospital by ambulance, the fire authority spokesman said.

It's not immediately known what spooked the horse.

A witness, Cole Holland, said on his Facebook page: "While I was performing at the Southwest Washington Fair a horse got loose and trampled a man and at least one child if not several. Please keep these individuals in your thoughts and prayers. Completely tragic, I'm speechless right now."

Paulette Young, risk and safety administrator for Lewis County said the horse belonged to a vendor at the fair who was giving horse and buggy rides. The horse got spooked, she said, and raced down the midway, with the carriage still attached, and trampled fairgoers.

The horse was captured and returned to its stall.

The fair continued, but horse and carriage rides were suspended for the remainder of the fair, Young said.

The Lewis County Sheriff's Office is investigating.