Police: Horse given verbal warning in runaway incident Returned safely to Amish family

A horse named Rusty that had escaped from a country store was corralled by a Michigan State Police trooper near Marion Tuesday afternoon. (Courtesy photo) A horse named Rusty that had escaped from a country store was corralled by a Michigan State Police trooper near Marion Tuesday afternoon. (Courtesy photo) Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Police: Horse given verbal warning in runaway incident 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP — Horsing around took on a whole new meaning this week.

Michigan State Police Trooper Ed Ricklefs corralled a horse, which had apparently broken free from a hitching post at an Amish store, near the intersection of 70th Avenue and 20 Mile Road, close to Marion on Tuesday.

"I get loose livestock maybe once a year. On the day shift, it's a little more rare than it is during the night shift, because people are awake and watching their animals. It's certainly interesting," Ricklefs said.

A motorist from Ohio called 911 on Tuesday when they saw the horse crossing M-115, near 70th Avenue, Ricklefs said. The horse, which was dragging a cart behind it, nearly collided with a semitruck when it crossed the highway.

Ricklefs caught up with the horse closer to 20 Mile Road. He said he used his cruiser to pin the horse down against a guardrail on the side of the road, before he left the car and captured it. The horse was loose for a total of 10-15 minutes, Ricklefs said.

"I carry a dog leash with me — it's just something I've done for years, because of the loose dog calls we get. So, I used that to get him," Ricklefs said.

Ricklefs learned the horse belonged to an Amish family who were inside the Northwood Country Store on 70th Avenue when it escaped, apparently breaking free from its halter at the hitching post. The horse, whose name is Rusty, was returned to its owners safe and sound.

"I've seen near-fatal accidents with car-horse collisions before, so I knew this could be bad. I'm glad it didn't turn out that way," Ricklefs said.

Rusty was given a verbal warning for the runway, the MSP Post tweeted.