Fatal NYC carriage accident leads to driver’s suspension, horses retirement

CENTRAL PARK, Manhattan (PIX11) – The owner of the horse-drawn carriage involved in Wednesday's fatal accident in Central Park has announced the indefinite suspension of the driver involved.  Additionally, the TWU Local 100 also confirmed the carriage owner decided to retire the horse involved in the incident. “We are devastated that a passenger died after injuries sustained today in the accident in Central Park, and our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family. Safety in the park has been a growing concern among many, and improvements are needed for all vehicles, including e-bicycles, delivery vehicles, pedicabs, and horse-drawn carriages.”  On Wednesday afternoon, a tourist visiting with his family, 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, was fatally injured when a startled horse, carrying passengers, broke free and crashed into another carriage near Tavern on the Green, according to the Central Park Conservancy. The teen acquired multiple injuries and was taken to a hospital where he later died, according to authorities.  In a statement it received earlier from TWU, the union called the events leading up to the incident unacceptable. It said the driver was at least arm’s length away when he allegedly took photos of his passengers in the carriage.  The union also wrote that a driver is not supposed to leave the carriage to take photos – ever.   The Central Park Conservancy, responsible for maintaining New York’s most famous park, extended condolences to Mahajan’s family and advocated for Ryder’s Law, a proposal that would essentially ban horse-drawn carriages in Central Park.  “This is the tragedy we feared when we first called last year for horse carriages to be banned from Central Park due to the risks they pose to public safety and public health. A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life. That is not an acceptable cost of an antiquated industry operating in the middle of one of the most heavily used public spaces in America.”  This is believed to be the first human death linked to the horse-drawn carriage industry, according to the conservancy.