August 2023 Issue

Page 10 August 2023 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN Delays Continue in Trial of Trooper Who Killed Horse in 2021 By Suzanne Bush On December 21, 2021, just before midnight, Pennsylvania State Police were called to re- spond to a minor traffic accident near the Borough of Oxford, in Chester County. A motorist had hit a horse that was walking along the road. Neither the horse nor the driver of the car was injured. When the State troopers arrived on the scene, the horse was standing on the shoulder of Route 1. What happened next was a puzzling series of blunders that resulted in the death of the horse. The State troopers apparently were unprepared to deal with a loose horse. They had no ropes. Nor, apparently, did they have any kind of reasonable plan for what to do when they arrived on the scene. When the horse started walking north in the highway’s southbound lane, according to the Chester County District Attor- ney, “one trooper unsuccessfully tried to capture the horse using a makeshift rope made from jump- er cables.” Things went downhill from there. The horse kept walk- ing and Corporal Michael Perillo drove his patrol car behind the horse with his emergency lights flashing and tried to block the horse’s path. The horse tried to go around Perillo’s vehicle, and Perillo tried to block it again. When the horse tried to evade the car again, Perillo hit the horse with his car. The horse turned and started going toward Route 1 again. That is where the other trooper stood, “holding the makeshift rope in his right hand and his firearm in his left. The trooper fired in the animal’s direction five times, striking it at least once in the left rib cage,” according to the District Attorney's office. At this point the horse started running and Perillo followed. The District Attorney’s report is graphic. “The defendant followed the running horse and struck it four times in the legs with his vehicle, with the horse landing on the hood the fourth time. The de- fendant struck it a fifth time when the horse fell from the hood. When the horse tried to stand up, the defendant struck it a sixth time, driving his car on top of the animal. Because the horse was still breathing, one of the other troopers present euthanized it.” Trooper Charged with Animal Cruelty Perillo was charged with several counts of animal cruelty in July 2022, more than six months after the incident. He has been on unpaid leave from the State Police, and numerous court hearings have been postponed, most recently one that was scheduled for July 11. The Chester County District Attorney, Deb Ryan, released a statement about the incident when Perillo was initially arrested and charged. “The horse that was loose on US-1 last December suf- fered a tortured death at the hands of Cpl. Michael Perillo. Inflicting such pain on an innocent animal is unthinkable and inexcusable. No one is above the law, and my office will hold the defendant accountable for his actions.” Just before summarizing the events that culminated in the horse’s death, the statement went on to affirm that every defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Assistant District Attorney Kate Wright, when asked about the numerous delays, said that this is not unusual. “It will be list- ed for trial. Cases just don’t get to trial quickly. One of the things that people don’t expect if they’re not familiar with the criminal jus- tice system is they don’t happen as quickly as they expect.” She said that delays are caused by several reasons, including “the normal practice of discovery and attorney schedules.” Perillo is being represented by William Davis, Jr., who has not responded to email requests for comment. The Pennsylva- nia State Police have referred questions to the Chester County District Attorney. By Ken Weingartner, USTAMedia Relations Manager Quick Stop and Heaven Hanover were the winners of the two $105,250 divisions of the Del Miller Memorial for 3-year-old fe- male trotters at The Meadowlands on July 15, giving driver Tim Tetrick (Woolwich Township, NJ) a sweep of the two events. Heaven Hanover, 11-1, upset a field that included 1-5 favorite Bond, who ended a nine-race win streak. Bond had the lead in a :27.4 first quarter and remained on top to the three-quarters in 1:22.3 but faced pressure down the stretch from Rose Run Yolanda and Heaven Hanover, who had been last at the half-mile point. Heaven Hanover put her nose in front of first-over Rose Run Yolanda and driver Scott Ze- ron right at the finish line. Bond was three-quarters of a length back in third. Heaven Hanover, trained by Marcus Melander (New Egypt, NJ), is a daughter of Father Pat- rick-Hillarmbro bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. For her career, Heaven Ha- nover has hit the board in 10 of 12 races, winning four and earning $174,931. She paid $25 to win. Quick Stop won the first of the night’s two $105,250 Miller divisions by a head over Insta- gram Model in 1:52.2. Secret Volo was third. Fifth early in the race, Quick Stop was second to favorite Secret Volo at three-quarters before taking the lead in the stretch, holding off a rallying Instagram Model, who had been last most of the race. Quick Stop is a daughter of Tactical Landing-Falls For You owned by ACL Stuteri AB and trainer Anette Lorentzon. She was bred by Fair Winds Farm. Quick Stop has won five of 15 races and earned $357,503. Her win was her second in four starts this year, following a vic- tory in a division of the Reynolds Memorial at The Meadowlands. Sent off at 7-2 odds, Quick Stop paid $9.20 to win. Tetrick Wins Two at Meadowlands