The incident was reported shortly before 6 a.m. Thursday at 19375 Grand Avenue, between Ontario Way and Borchard Road.
California Highway Patrol Officer G. Velasco confirmed the deceased was a Lakeland Village resident in her early 40s who was married with children.
According to witnesses, the woman was trying to capture her horse early this morning after it got away from her, the officer said. With the help of witnesses, "they got the horse out of the roadway and were trying to corral it," Velasco said.
The woman did not have a halter with her, so she asked her daughter, who was also at the scene, to remove her belt and use it as a halter, the officer explained.
"At some point the victim backed onto the road," he continued. It's unknown why she went into the road, but shortly thereafter she was hit by a maroon Chrysler 300 traveling southbound on Grand Avenue, the officer said.
The female driver regularly travels the route to work and did not see the victim, Velasco said.
"It was extremely dark, there are no street lights, and the victim was wearing all black clothes," he explained.
Drugs or alcohol did not play a factor, Velasco confirmed.
Grand Avenue was completely closed until approximately 7:30 a.m.
The brown and white pinto Miniature horse was captured approximately two hours later in a field behind Elsinore First Assembly Church on Grand Avenue and brought to safety.
(Lake Elsinore-Wildomar Patch - Feb 14, 2013)
