An pre-dawn wreck involving a herd of 14 horses on a Corona freeway left five animals dead or injured and Highway 91 at a standstill, officials say.

"There were two (horses) deceased. There were three injured. And the other nine appeared to be OK," Orange County Animal Care Services spokesman Ryan Drabek said about 7 a.m. "They are the ones that were corralled and returned to the stable."

The herd apparently escaped from a horse farm just south of the freeway at Green River Drive, where the 3:30 a.m. accident occurred in the eastbound lanes.

Traffic remains tied up for at least eight miles in both directions, California Highway Patrol Officer Albert Gracino said. Three eastbound lanes have been reopened and the remaining two lanes may be reopened soon, he said.

But the residual back-up is likely to continue for several hours, he cautioned.

--Richard Brooks
rbrooks@PE.com

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