CURRITUCK COUNTY, NC -- A Chesapeake woman is accused in the hit-and-run death of a wild horse in Corolla.

On March 29, T-Rex was struck on the beach -- the first of two horse deaths caused by hit-and-run drivers, according to sheriff's investigators and the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

Corolla Wild Horse Fund

T-Rex holds up his shattered back leg after being struck on the beach in March. The injury was so severe he was euthanized.

The seven-year-old's back right leg was broken. It was compound fracture high on the leg and bone was sticking out, said Karen McCalpin with the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

"It looked like someone dug a trench, he'd paced in circles on his three good legs trying to keep upright," McCalpin said, describing the scene when she arrived on the beach around 10:00 a.m.

Sheriff Susan Johnson says Kendra K. James, 21, admitted she accidentally hit the horse while driving her Jeep Cherokee between 20-25 MPH.

According to Johnson, James said it was foggy and she didn't see the herd that ran out in front of her. Johnson adds that James said she tried to avoid them, but she couldn't turn because of deep ruts in the sand.

The horse was found at milemarker 21 of the North Beach Strand in Carova.

"What’s been the hardest is that they have such an incredible will to live and when we got there, this horse was shaking from the effort of holding himself up because he knew if he wasn’t going down, he wasn't getting up," McCalpin stated.

According to the sheriff's office, James said she didn't know who to call or that she was required to make a report.

Within four weeks, a second horse, called Spec, had to be euthanized after being struck by a vehicle on the beach in May. Intially believed it was an ATV, investigators now say it was not one.

In both cases, the bone was broken so badly that there was no hope of rehababilitation and they had to be euthanized.

The investigation into Spec's death continues.

Some progress is being made in the case, but we still are in need of information," said Sheriff Johnson.

There's a reward of up to $3,500 for information that leads to the arrest of persons responsible. If you have information, call Lt. Banks or Sgt. Lasher with the Currituck County Sheriff's Office at 252-453-2121.

"I hope they get the maximum because to leave an animal suffering is the height of cruelty and cowardice," McCalpin added. 

The charge of failing to immediately notify Currituck County Sheriff's Office after injuring a wild horse carries a maxiumum $500 fine.

There are about 100 wild horses roaming in Corolla, descendants of Spanish mustangs that were brought to America in the 1500s.