Rescue horse struck, killed by suspected speeder near Ash Grove

Amber Williams and her rescue horse, Garland, were only two driveways away from home on Farm Road 53 when Garland was struck by a speeding vehicle and killed on Monday, Dec. 2. Now, Williams, who lives south of Ash Grove, hopes to use the tragedy to send a message to drivers about the dangers of speeding.
Williams and her boyfriend were in St. Louis that morning when they got word their dogs had escaped from their home in Ash Grove. They rushed back and went out on horseback to find them.
The dogs were unable to walk back to the house, so Williams’ boyfriend went back to the house to get a vehicle to transport them while Williams, who had ridden Garland to find the dogs, stayed behind. She was speaking with a man who stopped to ask if she was okay when another driver came “barreling down” the other side of the road. Williams managed to get out of the way, but Garland wasn’t so lucky.
Williams said that while the driver did stop after the accident, he wouldn’t get out of his vehicle or speak to her.
“He didn’t get out of his car; he didn’t say a word to me, not sorry (or) anything, which was very upsetting,” Williams said. “His wife called the accident in. I wanted him to get out and see what he had done... he was speeding and not paying attention, there was still light outside he had a bright green saddle on. My witness was waving for him to stop, flashing his lights at him, (but) he didn’t stop. He plowed my horse so hard his saddle flew off and broke, his headstall flew off all he had on was his halter and rope I was leading him with.”
Williams adopted Garland three years ago, and described meeting him as “love at first sight.” She said Garland protected her by shielding her with his body.
“(The driver) almost hit me, but Garland got in front of me trying to get out of the way and pretty much blocked me so I didn’t get hit,” she said. “When the driver hit him, his rope slid across my face and yanked me and I had to let go of him. I couldn’t even believe what just happened. I dropped to my knees, looked at my horse laying there suffering and just cried. I finally made it to Garland and it was right as he was passing away, his eyes were going crazy. He had tears coming down his face, so I held his head till he passed. The sight of (the driver) hitting my horse just keeps replaying over and over in my head. I’m traumatized by it; I can’t even walk into my barn without busting into tears.”
While Williams said she is very upset over losing Garland, she said she hoped she could use the tragedy to warn others about the dangers of speeding on country roads and hopefully persuade people to slow down.
“The reason I am making this such a big thing is that could have been anyone (who was killed),” she said. “The guy driving could have died, his wife could have died, (or) I could have died. There’s a kid down the road that rides his horse on these roads daily; if this would have happened to him it would have been much more traumatic to deal with since he’s young. There are Amish and Mennonites riding around on buggies, (and) for some people, this is their only means of transportation. We have a right to the road, too. We just want people to pay attention and slow down so something like this doesn’t happen again.  I just want to spread awareness to everyone, get off your phones, slow down, pay attention. You will get where you’re going eventually; don’t hurt someone or yourself trying to rush.”
Williams father set up a Go Fund Me page for her, thinking she was going to have to pay someone to bury Garland, but a neighbor took care of that for her instead. Now, Williams said she hopes to use the money raised with the Go Fund Me page to purchase another rescue horse.
“Money won’t bring my horse back, but I figure if I can save one more, then all of this wasn’t for nothing.”
The Go Fund Me page is titled “Garland’s Burial Expenses” and had raised $275 out of a $1,200 goal as of presstime.