December 8, 2015 
A gut-wrenching scene played out in downtown Houston last Thursday when a city police horse was struck and killed by a cement truck.
Charlotte, a 6-year-old Tennessee Walker, was on patrol in downtown Houston when something caused the mare to spook. She tossed her rider, Officer D. Herrejon and then turned into oncoming traffic where she was struck by a passing cement truck. The impact caused severe damage to her hind legs and she was euthanized on scene.
Officer Herrejon, who was not seriously injured, did all he could to comfort his dying partner in her final moments.
(Courtesy of Houston PD)
The Houston PD released the following statement on its Facebook page:
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Charlotte, an HPD Mounted Patrol horse, who died in the line of duty this morning in a motor vehicle accident. This is an ongoing investigation, but the driver of the vehicle is not believed to be at-fault…
Charlotte came to HPD as an unstarted 2-year old Tennessee Walker from Oklahoma. She thrived in HPD Mounted Patrol’s barefoot and natural horsemanship programs. She passed her evaluation period with flying colors and was working the streets of Downtown Houston within a short time of being started under saddle. She loved her job and was always ready to go to work putting bad guys in jail or giving nuzzles to children. She served the citizens of Houston for 4 years.
She will be missed.”
(Courtesy of Houston PD)
RIP.
