Wednesday, August 19, 2026
By Submitted Story on July 29, 2024
On July 29, the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office reported on the arrest in an incident that led to the euthanizing of a member of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund herd. Here is the information.
On 7/26/2024 around 12:30 a.m. Deputies responded to the Milepost 20 beach area in reference to a horse being struck by a side-by-side UTV. Deputies received information that the driver had left the scene.
The bystanders gave a description of the driver along with clothing detail and direction he left in. The UTV registration led Deputies to the information of the owner, Porter Williamson. During the process of towing the vehicle, Porter was noticed and fled the scene again. A Deputy initiated a foot pursuit and Porter was caught.
Porter Williamson, 57, of Chesapeake, Virginia was charged with RDO (resist, delay, obstruct) and put under a 10k bond. Rhonda Williamson was also charged with RDO and received a 5k bond for false information to law enforcement.
The horse had to be put down due to the injuries sustained in the collision.
SEE ALSO: Bullwinkle, 10-year-old stallion euthanized after being struck by car; driver arrested
Comments
Sandflea
The horses shouldn’t even be here. Jays idea is as good as any I’ve heard of. There are too many people here now. The horse tour people will fight it to the bitter end because of the money…. which is the only thing that is important out here.
And don’t even think about interfering with an overly entitled tourons vacation! And don’t think about setting up on the beach in front of their $25,000/week rental. They will instantly blow a gasket and inform you that you are on THEIR beach front; in addition to informing you as to how overly entitled they are!
Just a mom
And guess what everyone… they are no more wild than a horse on a mid sized ranch. Buy you a Texas broodmare… she just as wild.
Their blood line and the nostalgia is all that is left of a time, like many things… long gone.
Stuck in traffic
A 13 year old male is no longer with us. He’s family is going home without him. Happened in Corolla.
Thanks to everyone that helped with this recovery process!
Hell of a lot more heartbreaking than some idiot hitting a horse.
Guess what folks, it’s time to move the horses. County should take them where everyone that wants to see them, can. No tours! No more trespassing from the self proclaimed wild horse people. They have killed more than hit and run drivers. But as long as they say they can’t do anything for it. Then death and donations!
Just saying
I love reading these comments! Most of them are from people that don’t even live here I’m sorry no driving after dark golf carts only it’s very comical. These horses are an invasive species hands down it’s just that powers to be found a spin to capitalize on! All the bleeding heart out of state folks that are commenting you want to make a change the horse tours need to go they corral them they harass them I have a video of one getting chased and separated from her foal and got so distressed she ran into a guide wire and decapitated herself basically but that got swept under the rug! Shut the beach down unless you live up here work up here or own property up here renting a house up here you should not be allowed. And as far as hitting the horse and fleeing outer Banks voice that is not a crime it’s just like hitting a deer on a roadway these people are being crucified and none of you know all the facts! I just love the fact that the sheriff’s department had to make a statement. Get the facts or shut up people thank you for my opportunity to put my two cents in. Also Lee nailed it thank you for your educational comment nobody wants to hear it but they are facts.
Wahoo
The word “local” is an overused term. And it doesn’t matter. I’m a local. Not a native islander though. Here’s why the term really doesn’t matter.
Let’s remember “Locals” created this nightmare. Locals either started these businesses or encouraged them to OBX’s detriment. Locals passed laws and receive monies from the Horse tours, night driving and other crap. “Locals” want tourists only for their money and encourage the irresponsible, impossible coexistence of these horses. The horses are “locals” also. We deserve our beaches as humans also. There are many more horses than local piping plovers. And plovers are not native, invasive and ruined the experience for beachgoers. Lose the plovers, keep the horses.
Tourists typically aren’t invested other than the price of their vacation. It hasn’t gotten better. Some businesses are greedy, unsafe, bad for our community. And that hasn’t gotten better.
I like any and all ideas on separating and protecting humans and horses. Could it be fun, money AND safe? I hope it can change.
Dylan
Any motor vehicle accident that incurs damage to the extent that it cannot be driven, injury, or death [human] must be reported to law enforcement. Leaving the scene or attempting to leave the scene, is a crime.
Dr Rob Jr
@just saying: Except there is an ordinance prohibiting folks from getting within 50 feet of the horses. There is no such ordinance for deer.
Greg
The horses came to this continent 400+ years ago by way of the Spanish explorers and then the British. The horses either swam ashore from a shipwreck or simply escaped their owners who landed ashore with their horses. The horses are here because of humans. The subdivision of private land tracts in Carova began in the 1960s. The horses were roaming down to Duck and into Virginia in those days. No one owned the horses and they simply were just living on that land before vehicles came to be on the beach as were the Native Piping Plovers. Reckless driving led to this incident. Only street legal vehicles should be allowed on that beach which is The Road. The speed limit should be 25 mph and all traffic laws enforced. Wahoo is very uninformed.
charlie
Put the horses in pens… make a reservation for them… It is our Manifest Destiny to bring civilization to every corner of the Outer Banks…. “The only good horse is a dead horse… “……Sounds silly doesn’t it.. But change a few words and that is what was said about native americans who just wanted to live the way they had for hundreds of years… It is we who should change, not the horses…
Wahoo
@greg
The plovers have disproportionately displaced responsible beachgoers. There are very few birds that twist everyone into knots. I’m looking for current statistics, but only found this from NPS in 2017. If you see any current stats, it might be different.
Please let NPS know what you know. They will update charts with your research. I’m not suggesting we run them over. I know disequilibrium occurs when subsidies are introduced. The plovers’ protection is subsidized and not supported by others that use the same valuable, scarce resources. A better balance must be struck.
https://www.obxconnection.com/outer-banks-forum/forum-thread.aspx?Thread=90351
Debi
Obviously there needs to be a solution to the problem but I don’t believe that fencing in the horses, as Ocracoke did, is the best solution. Instead, I think that limiting driving on the beach, especially at night, would be a more effective approach. We should keep the herd wild!
lee
I can’t believe all these comments about this horse. Yes it is sad, the death of any animal is sad. The really sad thing is all these comments of people expressing their sadness and only 4 people expressed sadness about the 12 year old boy that died two days before the horse did. @ Debi yes there is a simple solution. Cut the number of horses on this 10 mile sliver of sand. 100 horses are just to many. If you want to know why so many in this small area it is simple, it makes it easier for the horse tour to see them. There is no other logical reason.
@ Just saying, I remember the incident you speak of when the horse died from hitting the guide wire. I have witnessed the tour trucks separating a foul from it mother. Six trucks on a narrow road within 50 yards gawking at the baby spooked the horses and the baby ran down the road between the tour truck as the mother ran into the woods, I remember the cries of that baby trying to find its mother, now that was sad. For you people from out of town you need to know there are over 150 tour trucks that come to Carova every day in season.@ Greg There were no wild horses here in the 30s and 40s . The horse population started in the 50s when an old farmer from Suffolk Va dumped several truck loads here. My family witnessed it. Yes they have found the DNA in some but if they looked around the state the would find more.
Jeremy
Good job to those who gave descriptions to the police