This punishment certainly does not fit the crime. The loss of a life occurred in this case; therefore there should be more account for responsibility and atonement demanded from the perpetrator. A mere verbal warning doesn't seem like it sends the message of the seriousness at hand here. Community work might be a good place to start.

How total unfair that Lee was given a written warning. His cell phone should be checked to be assured he if he was indeed using it. My heart truly aches for for Linda and Trapper.

My condolences to Dr. Perry. I've seen her out riding many a day, especially when I lived on River Road. She ALWAYS had on an orange vest. My heart goes out to her & her family -- this story hit me in the gut - I will definitely support the “Create Penalties For Causing Harm to, or the Death of, a Vulnerable User of a Public Way” movement. Dr. Perry has always shown a great deal of compassion when she's treated my animals & my thoughts are with her at this difficult time.
With Sympthay,
Val & Tim

Shame on the Clinton Police Department for not doing the right thing - check his cell phone record.

I think that the complete unfairness of the consequences the driver faced stem from who his father is. Anyone else probably would have been punished much more severely. Such shameless bias should not go unchecked in today's society! My heart truly aches for Dr. Perry. The boy's phone records should be checked, without question. A "mail box or trash can"? Really? Too many accidents happen because of teenagers being stupid on the roadways and not paying attention while they are driving. Shame on you, Clinton Police Department! As enforcers of the law, you should KNOW better than to set such a HORRIFIC example to other drivers!

This is an outrage!! I find the statistic about vehicle citations in this article hard to believe. I received a written warning for a rolling stop at a four way stop sign when I was the only car present!! My husband received a ticket, had to pay a fine, and go to a child safety course in Waterbury for three hours on a weeknight for not having our 6 year old daughter who weighs close to 70 lbs in a proper booster seat!! How in the world can it be justified that this kid who injured a person and killed a horse be given a verbal warning????!!! If he isn't going to be punished, which he should, he should at the very least be doing community service and driver re-education. Sadly, this lack of accountability will perpetuate this person's carelessness and may lead to even more tragic outcomes! My condolences to the Perry family for their loss.

So lets say this was a 40 year old man and he said he was blinded by the sun would you all be calling for his head and insisting that his phone be checked? Being blinded by the sun seems like a plausible explanation at that hour of the day. What should be the punishment in the case of an accident such as this?

Not only are the statistics of citations hard to believe but there may be a reason for it. The Middletown court system is overloaded and will most likely nolle and not guilty plea from this area.
I don`t know the angle of the sun or it`s effects of a driver at this location but i do know that at age 17 i would have been speeding down an empty road at this time in the morning. Good thing his dad got there to get "the story" before the officer in charge arrived. I`d like to see if the driver called 911 or his dad first. Calling his dad first would save himself but that would mean time lost for medical treatment for the horse and person involved. Negligence?

Charles
Was this on the News on TV or in the newspaper?
This should be followed through to the extent of the law,
if they still have law in Clinton!

This is exactly why laws have to be specifically mandated as to how law enforcement conducts investigations. Clearly, discretionary procedures as demonstrated here only highlight why such determinations can not be trusted to the police. Comparatively, had this been a commercial driver law enforcement investigators are "mandated" to test for alcohol and drugs as well as cell phone records.

Considering the mere appearance of negligence on behalf of the police investigation I would say the plaintiffs have a good case here. They will sue and pull the phone records and we shall see who's on the up and up.

Since there appears to be no additional criminal charges forthcoming by the town police, it doesn't seem that "community service" is a likely outcome. Can a civil judge assign "community service"? It seems civil litigation is the only recourse here. 6:50pm might be "plausible" for sun glare, but depending on when this accident took place-- the article didn't say the date?--, seems rather early for "sun glare" to be problem for a driver. That's something a plaintiff's attorney would need to investigate.

I hope this story does not die. Something HAS to be done about the speed residents travel at in this town. And a VERBAL warning?!?! That is beyond ridiculous. You would think after a $14 million dollar legal case AGAINST the police department and the town of Clinton, things in this town would have changed:
http://www.strattonfaxon.com/news/2011-news/ClintonOwes012611.htm

No one knows if he was even speeding. Do you not get the fact he simply couldnt see them? Im sure no one feels worse than the kid who hit them, lay off of him.

You are ritght this was a horrible accident, and you are also right it was certainly Robbie Lee's fault. However everyone here who is demanding punishments like some wild lynching mob is ridculous. I would bet that half the people on this site have hit a dog or a squirell or a deer and you dont see people ready ripping them apart. This kid is 17 and if your here to rip him apart because his dad is a cop then my pity goes out to you, so relax.

In response to James' comment about no people being hurt!! I think you meant nobody being killed. Thank God nobody was killed, but the lady was thrown into a tree and received injuries. If this was a member of your family -- a sister -- your mother would you be so forgiving?? Regardless of "who" the young man is -- he should be subjected to a little more investigation by the police due to the lack of driving experience due to his age. Perhaps he was texting or talking on his cell phone.

@ James your missing the point it's just another CPD cover up.This will never change as long as the current administration from the last 20+ years stays there.

Seems to me that the driver who hit the woman walking her dog in Guilford had his cell records checked and they found that he was distracted. Wonder why Clinton can't or won't do the same?

Horrible, that poor woman and horse, to be put through that kind of agony. My dog is in critical condition right now and I understand how she is feeling. I hope she sues the kid and his family seeing that he only got a slap on the wrist by his 'connected father.' Typical for Clinton, it's who you know...

I live on this street and this lady basically walks the horse in the middle of the road every evening when the sun can impair any drivers vision. Also, I saw where the accident was and there is no way she was "impaled by a branch as she was flung into the woods". Impaled meaning she was "pierced" by a branch? She didn'teven leave the scene by ambulance. Sounds like shes trying lawyer up and gain some sympathy here. Verbal warning was the right move, after all it was an accident and maybe horses don't belong on busy residential streets....

Such a sad story....I've seen Ms Perry many times riding up Fox Hill...she was always wearing her bright, reflective vest, as well as Trapper...she used to stop and my kids would get to pet Trapper...I'm very sorry for her loss, and a "real" investigation should take place. If it was anyone else....it would....and that's a shame! Ms Perry was very lucky she wasn't killed....he must of been going very fast to have amputated the horse's leg. Sun glare can be bad at times, but a more seasoned driver knows to SLOW DOWN.....a verbal warning for hitting a person and her horse is not justice in my book....I'm sorry, but I run on those roads...this could of been me.

“I heard a vehicle approaching at approximately 6:50 pm,” said Perry. “I turned to my left to acknowledge the vehicle with my usual friendly wave. As I turned, I saw the speeding Dodge Durango approach and swerve toward me. I screamed 'Oh my God, you're going to hit me!' as the vehicle struck both Trapper and I.”
Perry said her first thought was that the driver intentionally struck her and her horse.

wow makes the kid sound barbaric!! you actually think he tried to swerve into you? horses are massive animals that take up quite a bit of volume on the road. i wonder if there may have been another car coming from the other direction at the time? could he have been moving slightly to steer clear of an oncoming car. i know most people do move slightly when a car is approaching on the other side of the road. thats certainly just something to consider. i dont know what happened just like the rest of the people here making assumptions about this situation. wat i do know is that just moments before this accident i saw the lady riding her house by my house up the street. and it was certainly not as far to the side of the road as it should be. By the way did the rider have a radar gun on her???? the problem here is this article is soo inaccurate its ridiculous. the author has clearly interviewed only one side of the story. dont write an article if you dont know wat ur talking about. i feel sorry for the lady and her house. but lay of the kid

This sure is a sad event all around. I'm not familiar with the road so I have no idea how bad the sun is at that time of day/year. I wish the article had more detail, i.e did he only hit the horse's leg? I can't see someone hitting a horse full on and thinking it was a garbage can. It also makes me wonder if sun glare is a valid 'defense'. What if a parent was walking their kid in a stroller and this happened? This article just leaves too much to the imagination. My condolences to all involved.

David - From your post, it appears as though you have never had the wonderful experience of owning a beloved pet - whether it be a horse, a dog or a cat. The woman, Dr. Lynda Perry, did not immediately leave the scene of the accident in an ambulance because if she did, she would have been forced to leave her horse, who was suffering and dying, but was still alive.

"but at least now I only have to worry about deer jumping out in front of my car" instead of a horse and its poops.

@David- How heartless can you be? This says your actually happy the horse is gone and a human was hurt.
I don`t know the driver but if he had to call his DADDY then i`m sure after his DADDY told him what to say he also said not to talk about this to anyone.

I'm so saddened by this - I've seen Dr. Perry riding her horse and it made me (an dmost of the little girls in the neighborhood) very happy to see her. She always rode slow and cautiously. I ride my bike on the road in that neighborhood and I am appalled at times at how fast people drive and how little room they allow me and my children. NOT everyone, 75% of the people slow down and pull over to give plenty of room. But it just takes one tragedy to ruin the lives of many people. Slow down people - there is no where you have to go that is so important that you can't take a few extra seconds.
And I hate when people talk/text and drive.

Here's a suggestion--if the driver WAS on the phone, or distracted in any way, he needs to own up to it. The facts will likely come out eventually anyway. If his Dad thinks there was a chance of it, he should remind his son of what exactly has happened and what the right thing to do is. Beyond that, while this was a terrible event (I've had several pets who were dear to me), we don't need to convene a lynch mob for either the son OR the father.

Personally, were it my son, I would have checked the phone as soon as I could get my hands on it and acted accordingly. I expect the Corporal has done the same.

I used to ride with Linda and Trapper when I was a kid. Linda always took great care of me and taught me the rules of the road when on horseback. She was very knowledgeable and has gone through training, So for those of you who say she was riding down the middle of the road, I am 100% sure that you are wrong. And come on now, the kid thought he hit a garbage can?? Was the garbage can filled with cement? Because that horse weight about a thousand pounds. Linda is very lucky that she was not hurt far worse then she was. Think of the impact that Trapper received and how far she was flung off the horse, compare it to being ejected from a car. If she was walking her horse down the road instead of riding, she probably would have been killed. I am very disappointed in Officer Lee. I always respected him as one of the good guys in town and this shows his true colors. I hope his son feels terrible. Horses are not just animals. When you have a bond with a horse, such as Linda did with Trapper, they become part of the family. You trust this horse as your partner and they trust you just the same. So for all of the heartless people commenting on this article, I actually feel sorry for you that you have not had the chance to have a bond such as this. At this point nothing will bring Trapper back, but for Trappers sake, this accident should be investigated.

Was the teen's blood alcohol level tested? Did he submit to a urinary drug screen or other test for drugs that could have impaired his judgement? After he hit them did he keep driving or did he stop? None of these questions are addressed in this article and should have been investigated.

How sad for both parties. I'm sure Robbie feels terrible and there is no way to replace the loss of the horse. There is no need for any negative comments form anyone that was not there. I'm sure the Clinton police will do their part and the if this is taken to court, I hope the people of Clinton will continue to be respectful to one another. May God be with them both!

Not only do I live on this road, but the accident happened in front of my house on the border between my house & next door, on our side of the road. While there are not woods, there are trees. She was injured, but it was clear she stayed for Trapper.

I've seen her riding regularly for years now. She's always friendly & I've NEVER seen her in the middle of the road. She's always on the side.

The boy seemed shaken & remorseful on the scene. He didn't take off. He didn't seem impaired. I would see no just cause for testing. However, I do question the blinding sun. In my experience, I haven't had that be a problem on our portion of the road. There are curves & hills, but the stretch of road leading up to that spot is a very small hill that doesn't impede vision. I more likely suspect anything from phone distraction to changing the radio station as the source for his inattention.

The speed limit is 25mph. It's rarely followed, esp. by teenagers. It's actually a FUN road to drive at a fast speed, making it more tempting. I rarely walk my kids or take them riding on it bc of the cars.

The legal aspect is troubling but not surprising. This was a situation that called for proving there was no favoritism. I hope his father exacted his own consequences at the least, like driving safety courses, community services, & apologizing in person to Linda & attempting to make things up to her by assisting her in some way. You don't need a legal decree to do the right thing.

As a horse owner, and as a person ticketed in Clinton for minor offenses (and like many others questioning the warning vs. ticket ratio statements), I find this situation to be horrible. I wholeheartedly believe that the kid got off easy because his dad was a Clinton cop. I am a horse person. Real horse lovers consider their horses to be part of the family, loved as much as any child or family dog. We put our lives in our horses' care every time we ride, so the bond is deep. I think the Clinton police are wrong not to investigate whether or not the kid was texting or on the phone. The extent of the damage to the horse and his rider indicate that the kid was also exceeding the speed limit by quite a lot. I hope that Linda Perry sues the (living sh... out of the) parents, and I hope that there is some kind of investigation into the apparent favoritism and lack of due diligence by the Clinton Police.

I have to reiterate what I posted earlier... I am not sure why the victim has to prove that he or she is not at fault -if I am walking my dog and get hit by a car, must I be able to PROVE that the person in the car was not paying attention?

Thank you for all your support and compassion. Please slow down and pay attention to your surroundings. No one can bring back my beloved Trapper Jake Mint. Trapper was a hero. He saved my life, as well as the teenage driver, by preventing him from driving off the road. But I have good news. Trapper's sire is here in CT and I will meet him next week. Along with my present horse, I hope to soon have another Lippitt Morgan to endure Trapper's legacy. Sorry Dave and Big Rich, but the law requires you to yield to an equestrian. By the way, I'm not the only equestrian riding in Clinton. Lynda E. Perry, D.V.M.

"David commented on the article A Woman, Her Horse And A Tragic Ending
"Seems like 90% of the people who commented on this think they are better than Robbie and the police department. . . And for all of you saying to check his phone records, shut up. . . .I've seen this lady riding her horse in the middle of the road around town numerous times. I've also seen massive dumps the horse leaves behind, which she doesn't even clean up. I've actually ran over one of its poops! . . .but at least now I only have to worry about deer jumping out in front of my car instead of a horse and its poops.""

This post makes me almost glad to live in Clinton, LA rather than Clinton, CT.
David- Just how insensitive can you be? BTW are you one of the "kids" who apparently speed down this country road that has a posted 25 mph speed limit?

And as far as people who are worrying about the driver's civil liberties- I have only two words- "Probable cause." When someone swerves into a horse and rider on a road with a 25 mph posted speed limit and fatally injures the horse and injures the rider- well - I think that's ENOUGH "probable cause" to search the car for drugs, etc. check cell phone records, and ask the driver to take a breath test.

Fran---The reply was directed to those who have already served as judge, jury and executioner for the driver, the officer and the rest of the Clinton Police Dept.

It was a terrible accident and, until it's shown that I shouldn't, I have to believe what appears in the report and trust the officer to have performed the job correctly.

Skeptical is fine and it's natural to wonder. I just worry when people (not you) automatically assume there is something fishy with police procedures.

You know, sun in the eyes could actually be sun filtered through trees while moving and to me that is worse...but, as judges remind jurors, you don't go to the scene and try to re-create when deciding a case.

I agree, the cost seems lopsided but, in accidents, that is often the case. As I think I said, with kids involved, the whole story usually finds its way out. I also agree that I hope both parties get past this in the best way possible.

This dipping curve on Olde Orchard has seen 4 different 17 year old drivers careen off the road and into trees before the town striped the road and installed reflectors. Another local father crashed into a tree and boulder, breaking both legs. Now this horrific event. Originally a cul-de-sac, this road should never have been allowed to extend through to River Rd. We testified before the zoning board in the 1980's that it would lead to unsafe conditions. Sadly, we have been proven correct.

With tears in my eyes, I want to extend my deepest condolences to Dr. Perry on the loss of her beloved horse, Trapper. May God's love show you mercy and grace as you grieve.

Lets Play this card slightly different like someone already said...let me DRIVE the POINT home to anyone so BLIND as to MISS the reality...he LOST SIGHT OF THE ROAD driving too fast for conditions. If you hit an Icy patch and lose control and run over a child is that excusable with a warning? How about if you hit the child while they are on a bicycle, and throw the child and cause serious bodily injury. If you view Linda as the Child, would it matter more? It shouldnt make a difference because the Rider of the Horse/wheel chair/bicycle is who was assualted by the car and the negligence of the operator. Rightfully the Teen should have been ticketed and brought in front of a Judge, period. The Judge decides wether the negligence was willful or negligent, and then decided punishment/no punishment, retraining, etc. Anything less is a serious injustice and NEGLIGENT of LAW ENFORCEMENT-PERIOD. I am NOT saying that the kid should be nailed to a cross...but he was NOT held accountable in this case and the only reason is because of who his father is. The sadest part is this enabling will hurt everyone involved. The temorary protection of the father has taught the Kid he can "get away" with a reckless act, his next act may be worse, and usually is. Ultimately the father has sentenced his son to a far worse event. When a coverup takes place everyone suffers....