Man charged following hit-and-run of carriage in Auburn
AUBURN, Ky. – A man is facing multiple charges after police say he crashed into the back of a horse-drawn carriage near Auburn Elementary School.
According to a uniform citation, an Auburn officer was monitoring traffic during the elementary school’s Christmas event on Tuesday when Ryan K. Joiner, 40, of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, crashed into the back of a horse-drawn carriage, causing the horses to panic.
The uniform citation states police say leading up to the crash, two carriages had been traveling safely south on College Street as entertainment for the event.
Police say Joiner drove recklessly to pass the carriages at this time, entering the opposite lane and continuing to travel without stopping, the uniform citation states.
According to the uniform citation, the officer stopped Joiner and confirmed he had “ample space and opportunity to stop sooner” before the crash.
The uniform citation states during the traffic stop, police detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage from Joiner.
The officer says Joiner said he drank three beers and one shot of bourbon about 15 minutes before the traffic stop. Within the vehicle, police say they could see multiple open containers in the vehicle in plain view, along with an empty box of beer and 30 hydrocodone pills.
The uniform citation states the carriage contained 12 people at the time of the collision, including nine children, one pregnant woman and two other adults.
One person sustained a cut on their hand, and further potential injuries are not confirmed at this time, the uniform citation states.
Joiner was arrested and taken to the Logan County Detention Center.
He faces charges of reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, first offense, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (drug unspecified), possession of an open alcoholic beverage contain in a motor vehicle prohibited, leaving the scene of an accident/failure to render aid or assistance, first-degree wanton endangerment and drug paraphernalia – buy/possess.
