ATLANTA — The man, whose horse-drawn carriage was smashed in downtown Atlanta when a car ran into it and sent multiple people to an area hospital, wants the driver of that vehicle to apologize to his horse.
"I felt like I was shot out of a cannon," Donald Borchardt told Channel 2 Action News Action News reporter Linda Stouffer.
Borchardt said the crash left him with seven broken bones and a chipped neck. Driving the carriage was something he did part-time because he loves horses and people.
Now he needs weeks of full-time recovery.
"I have a broken collarbone, 6 ribs, chipped bone to my neck … massive bruising," Borchardt said.
Borchardt and his passengers -- three women -- were all rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital. A supervisor at Grady told Stouffer that one passenger aboard the horse and carriage is still being treated and currently listed in serious condition. Another passenger was released and headed back to Nebraska.
"We were in the air 15-20 feet," Borchardt said.
He not only wants the suspect to apologize to the victims, but Borchardt said he also wants him to apologize to the horse, named Christy.
Police have charged the car's driver, Gerald Odom, with following too closely, driving with a suspended license and having an open container.
"I would hope that he would like to offer a personal apology to the ladies involved, offer an apology to me and walk up to my horse and apologize to her," said Borchardt.
Borchardt said he was showing tourists downtown Atlanta last Friday when a black Lexus zoomed up from behind.
"I felt a big swoosh of air and then this horrendous bang," said Borchardt.
Stouffer wanted to ask Odom if he was actually racing another car, as a witness reported, but there was no answer at Odom's address.
Stouffer also called Fantasy Carriages and was told that the horse is getting veterinary care and is not well.
"Just please pay attention, make good decisions," said Borchardt.
WSBTV
