BELLEVILLE — A woman is suing the owners of a horse because she claims they failed to keep their animal secured in its pasture.
According to a complaint filed Dec. 3 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, Theresa Rowell was driving a 2006 Ford Taurus on Illinois 15 on Sept. 29, 2018, when she struck a horse owned by Leslie Bradley and Steven Bradley.
The collision occurred approximately 1,115 feet west of Lone Star Road.
Rowell claims the Bradleys violated the Domestic Animals Running At Large Act when they failed to secure the horse in its pasture.
The collision with the at large horse caused Rowell to suffer injuries to her cervical spine, back, shoulders, neck and several muscles around her spine. She also suffered psychological injuries due to the accident, according to the suit.
The muscles surrounding Rowell's spine that were injured included her spleius capitis, splenius cervicis, levator scapulae, rhomboid minor, rhomboid major, trapezius and infraspinatus, according to the suit.
"Because of her injuries, Plaintiff has had and with reasonable certainty will continue to have pain, suffering and psychological trauma," the complaint states.
Rowell claims the defendants were negligent when they failed to secure the gate to where the horse was being kept. She also claims they failed to notice the horse was missing for a large amount of time when they had a duty to watch the horse.
Rowell claims the defendants failed to utilize reasonable care in securing the horse, which caused the car accident. She is seeking compensatory damages in the amount of $50,000. She is represented by Dominic Kujawa in Belleville.
The complaint does not describe the horse's condition following the collision.
St. Clair County Case number: 19-L-847