State trooper, two civilians injured in I-70 crash involving horses, Maryland State Police say

Three people were hospitalized including a Maryland state trooper after an early Saturday morning crash on Interstate 70 that started when horses wandered onto the busy highway, according to authorities.

State police said troopers were responding around 3 a.m to reports of horses in the roadway in Frederick County near New Market. Police said two horses escaped from their enclosures and had wandered onto I-70 when they were hit by multiple vehicles including a tractor-trailer and two passenger vehicles.

Two horses were found dead on the scene.

While stopped on I-70 responding to the crash, a trooper in his patrol vehicle with his emergency lights on was hit by another vehicle. That vehicle stayed on the scene, and charges are not being filed at this time, according to the release.

The Maryland State trooper and the drivers of the two passenger vehicles were taken to the Frederick Health Hospital for treatment of their injuries, according to the release. No update on their conditions has been reported by state police as of Saturday afternoon.

All lanes were closed briefly Saturday morning for the crash investigation.