An 18-year-old tourist died after a horse bolted during a ride.
NEW YORK — A fatal Central Park carriage crash has placed new pressure on New York City officials to act on horse-drawn rides after an 18-year-old tourist was thrown from a runaway cab Wednesday afternoon.
The passenger, identified by the Central Park Conservancy as Romanch Mahajan, was riding with three others when the horse suddenly ran off near Central Drive. Police said he was taken to NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center in critical condition and later died.
The Transport Workers Union said the carriage driver had stepped away from the horse to take a photograph of the passengers. Alexander Kemp, an administrative vice president for the union’s local chapter, said that was not allowed and called for a full investigation. The union said the horse, which had been in the park for only six weeks, ran for reasons that were not yet known.
The carriage struck or clipped another carriage before overturning, according to officials and video from the scene. The footage showed the horse pulling the four-wheeled cab through the park as people nearby tried to react. Police said no other passengers were seriously hurt. The driver was suspended indefinitely by the carriage owner, and the horse was removed from service.
The crash followed another high-profile carriage incident on June 9, when a horse named Deniz collapsed and died in the park. Union officials later said a necropsy found the horse had eaten Japanese yew, a toxic ornamental plant. The two events added urgency to a debate that has lasted for years over whether horse carriages belong in Manhattan traffic and park loops.
The Central Park Conservancy said the death of a young visitor was not an acceptable cost of keeping what it called an antiquated industry in the park. Animal welfare groups also renewed calls for a ban. Carriage industry supporters and union officials have argued that the trade supports workers and that safety reforms, including tougher driver training and rules for new horses, should be considered.
City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Councilmember Lynn Schulman said the Council will hold a July hearing on Ryder’s Law, a proposal tied to concerns about the carriage business. Police have not said what caused the horse to bolt, and officials have not announced criminal charges. The investigation remains active.
The case now moves from the crash scene to City Hall, where lawmakers are expected to revisit the future of horse-drawn carriages in July.
Author note: Last updated June 18, 2026.