Concerning your article in the Olds Albertan on Aug. 20, 2013, titled "Two Injured in Crash that Killed Horse."
Friends and family of the two people involved in the horrible accident consider your news report to be in very poor taste.
First point: It is a plain miracle that the two human beings were not killed instantly.
That their injuries were minor is another miracle due mainly to the fact that this 83-year-old woman driver kept the car on the road preventing a rollover.
Had it done so, both passengers would undoubtedly have been killed as the roof and seatbelts were ripped off of the car.
The RCMP at the scene told the lady that he was impressed with her driving.
If anyone wants to be arrogant enough to bring age and sex into this travesty, all should know that this 83-year-old woman has driven since she was 16 years old, accident free and without a single mark on her driver's licence.
We would also like to know what the driver's age and sex have to do with Mr. Zimmerman's horses being on the road illegally according to registered laws of Alberta.
That the Zimmermans showed no remorse that their negligence (wires down by own admission) caused two innocent people to suffer such a horrible accident is despicable.
The horror and trauma of this accident was unbelievable.
To see your son covered in glass, blood and gore would be enough to kill some people with shock.
That the blood and gore were from the horse was not at first evident.
That every word the Zimmermans were quoted as saying in this article seeks to blame the victims is even more despicable.
It was their horse that was illegally on the road.
If you wanted to catch a horse, running at it waving a blinky light in its face is to several horsemen that I talked to a novel new method.
None thought it would work.
Some thought it was madness.
If the light was so good why did Mr. Zimmerman wave a blinking light at the horse?
Why did he give his blinking light to the people to stop the traffic?
Another piece of misinformation in your article is that there was little damage or loss to the victims.
The lady still suffers from whiplash.
The car was a total writeoff.
They lost $300.
Leather coat and all clothing, eyeglasses, cellphone, $58.
Coleman picnic hamper and they have a $300 ambulance bill.
Yes, we all feel sorry for the horse.
I personally think the horse was a helpless victim of owners who didn't take proper care of her safety and welfare.
I think the Zimmermans should be grateful that their victims belong to a faith that doesn't sue his fellow man.
They may not be so lucky the next time their fence wires are stretched at bit.
Stella McBride,
Innisfail
