CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) – Two people suffered minor injuries after a carriage mule got spooked by a delivery truck in downtown Charleston.
There were 14 people onboard the carriage at the time of the accident which occurred about an hour into the tour at 4:16 p.m. Wednesday at Broad and Savage streets. According to police, two of the 14 passengers aboard the carriage were injured and transported to the hospital.
A report released Thursday by the city states that the carriage driver was facing northbound headed toward Broad Street when he saw a FedEx truck turn south onto New Street and the mules took off running. He attempted to regain control of the mules, named Barack and Michelle, and struck an unknown object while doing so. He then turned the carriage onto Franklin Street and was able to stop it, according to the report.
“None of the passengers were thrown from the carriage,” Charleston police officials said.
A passenger on the carriage said other passengers began screaming when the carriage took off quickly down New Street. She also stated her grandparents were injured while sitting on the second-row passenger bench.
In addition, a report states the two mules pulling the carriage were not injured. Police say the carriage belongs to Palmetto Carriage Works.
A witness who captured video said it appeared one of the injured was a woman who had a cut on her leg. According to the witness, at one point the driver stopped the carriage in the area of Broad to let the passengers off, but the horses lost control.