December 1, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
A week ago a Smithville man was seriously injured after his car struck and killed a horse on Highway 70 at Snow Hill. 20 year old Jose Torres remains in critical condition at Vanderbilt Hospital.
According to Trooper Chris Meness of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Torres was traveling west going down Snow Hill in a 2020 Ford Fusion last Tuesday night 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 and flown to Vanderbilt Hospital.
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 32 year old Alexandra Hancock 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.