Horseback Rider Hit By Car During Religious Procession In Santa Rosa, Police Say

SANTA ROSA, CA — A horseback rider who was taking part Sunday in a march for the Virgin of Guadalupe in Santa Rosa was struck by a car and suffered critical injuries, police said.

The hit-and-run incident was reported at 1:38 p.m. in the 3700 block of Old Redwood Highway as more than 100 people participated in the religious procession from west Santa Rosa to Windsor.

The victim was rushed to a local hospital and was listed in critical condition Sunday evening, police said.

Officers tracked down the suspect — identified by police as 20-year-old Troy Hale of Santa Rosa — and his car at a residence in north Santa Rosa.

Officers served a search warrant for his car and home and found suspected fentanyl pills and suspected cocaine — both of which investigators believe Hale had for the purpose of selling, police said.

Hale is also accused of having ammunition.

According to police, Hale was on pretrial release for a July arrest on suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm in public. As a condition of his release, he was not supposed to have ammunition or guns in his possession.

On Sunday, Hale was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County jail on suspicion of felony hit-and-run, DUI, violation of pretrial release, and possession of narcotics for sale, Santa Rosa police said.

As for the horse, the victim's friends transported it from the scene.