An old-fashioned, yet costly, mishap: Carriage crashes in Williamsburg
Spooked horses led to a crash off Duke of Gloucester Street that left a carriage heavily damaged but no one seriously injured.
Now, there’s a sentence that could’ve been written centuries ago.
This accident, however, happened earlier this month in the restored 18th-century village, where a clip-clop around town is considered a classic Colonial Williamsburg experience.
Heads of state, celebrities, even Lassie have climbed on board.
On March 5, two passengers — a man and woman — were enjoying an afternoon ride when the driver tried to turn around on Botetourt Street and the carriage ran into a trash barrel.
That freaked out the pair of horses pulling the rig, and the driver lost control.
As the team bolted, the carriage careened this way and that, hitting a parked car, a fence post, and finally whacking into a tree. The impact threw the driver from his perch to the ground. The horses broke loose from the rig and galloped away down the street, leathers flying.
“Guests riding in the carriage were uninjured, and the horses were quickly recovered,” Kevin Crossett, a CW spokesman, said in an email to the newspaper. “The carriage driver was taken to a local medical facility as a precaution, and was examined and released.”
Williamsburg police were called to fill out a crash report. Armed with a standard form that’s geared for auto accidents, they had to improvise, drawing tiny horses in the “crash diagram” section.
“Have fun writing that up,” investigator John Hielman said.
Police estimated repairs to the car, a 2003 Honda Civic, at $230.
A broken headlight, some damage to the hood and bumper.
The carriage, though, was really banged up. A box on the form marks it “Totaled” with repairs estimated at an eye-popping $200,000 for “damage to the carriage tongue, steering structure, carriage body on the left side, and several suspension
connections.”
Crossett wouldn’t say which carriage was involved.
Colonial Williamsburg has a collection of them, carrying up to four passengers for around $60 for a 15-minute-or-so ride. The carriages are antique or built by specialized craftsmen to suit the setting. They’re made of mostly wood and iron, following 18th-century methods.
“The safety of Colonial Williamsburg employees, guests and animals is the Foundation’s highest priority,” Crossett said. “Foundation officials are investigating the accident and assessing necessary repairs to the carriage.”
He wouldn’t say what kind of horses were involved. Colonial Williamsburg uses several period-appropriate breeds known for their uniform looks and steady temperaments.
Crossett also wouldn’t say if an accident like this has happened before in the restored area, or discuss the training of employees who handle the tourist rides.
History is full of horse and buggy accidents, even when the skills required to properly harness and drive a team were common.
At least this one happened on a less-busy lane. The crash occurred where Botetourt runs between Francis Street and Duke of Gloucester, the main strolling thoroughfare for pedestrians.
The police report notes that no citations were issued. And with no serious injuries, it’s easier to chuckle at the unusual nature of the answers peppering the report.
On the form, the make of “Vehicle 1” — the carriage — is marked “UNKN.” Boxes intended for license plate, VIN number and “speed before crash” are filled with similar shrugs.
Don’t get many like this one, right?
Nope, said Williamsburg police officer Charlie Ericsson, “we don’t.”