Residents in Mount Charleston told 8 News Now they’re sick of dealing with reckless drivers, after two of the area’s wild horses were hit and killed by cars this month.
“People are horrified because we feel helpless,” longtime Mount Charleston resident Rhea Windhorst said. “The heartbreaking part is it’s so unnecessary.”
The winding Kyle Canyon Road leads to scenic beauty away from the city’s hustle and bustle, but it’s also the site of countless dangerous encounters.
“If people cared and there was more awareness out there and people actually slowed down and watched the road,” Windhorst said. “The horses would never get hit.”
Windhorst told 8 News Now the entire community is crushed after a pregnant mare was killed in the middle of the road. Her filly died the same way just a few weeks later. She calls this an example of a more serious issue; people speeding and driving recklessly up and down the mountain.
“It devastated me, Windhorst said of the accidents. “It completely broke my heart.” “A lot of people just speed, pull on the side of the road, they don’t pay attention, there could be a horse on the side of the road and if you’re not watching you could get hurt, or a deer and people.”
Now, Windhorst and her neighbors mourn the lives lost, they’re hoping for some sort of change before drivers put any other people or animals at risk.
“It’s a safety issue for everybody,” Windhorst added.
Windhorst says she and her neighbors spoke with Nevada Department of Transportation officials about adding more signs along Kyle Canyon Road to warn drivers to slow down.
8 News Now reached out to NDOT about the residents’ inquiry. A department spokesperson said the signage along Kyle Canyon Road to Mount Charleston was carefully mapped about by engineers to keep people and animals safe.
Anyone who would like to request more patrols along Kyle Canyon Road can contact NHP Southern Command via email at NHPSC-PIEO@state.nv.us.