By Gus Saltonstall
An 18-year-old male is dead after falling out of a runaway horse carriage in Central Park on Wednesday around 2:50 p.m., a police spokesperson told West Side Rag.
The teenager was rushed to Weill-Cornell Medical Center in critical condition immediately after the incident, police said. An NYPD spokesperson then confirmed around 7:15 p.m. that the teenager had succumbed to his injuries.
The teenager was identified by authorities and the Central Park Conservancy as Romanch Mahajan, who was visiting New York City from India.
According to video and eyewitnesses, the carriage tipped over after a horse broke away from its driver and bolted into the park. A West Side Rag reporter who happened to be in Central Park at the time on Wednesday afternoon said she saw the horse go running by her with screaming passengers in the back.
Based on eyewitness reports and video, the horse broke away from its driver near Cherry Hill Fountain within the park near West 72nd Street, which is a common area for the carriages, before making its way onto West Drive.
Video then shows the runway horse and carriage falling to the ground on West Drive near Tavern on the Green around West 67th Street, after colliding with another carriage.
It is not immediately clear when Mahajan fell out of the carriage.
Yes we got a video of it here pic.twitter.com/35hY4K3s5O
— @newyorkers (@newyorkers_x) June 17, 2026
Arnaud Tousch, a reporter for the French radio RTL, happened to be in Central Park at the time of the incident.
“I saw a horse carriage moving at a very high speed and heard people screaming around me. I immediately saw a young man lying on the ground,” Tousch wrote to the Rag in an email. “The situation was chaotic. I ran toward him right away. He was bleeding heavily from a serious head wound and was unconscious, but he was still breathing. Someone had already called 911.”
The French journalist, along with a doctor who happened to be nearby monitored Mahajan until EMS arrived, according to Tousch.
“There was no real decision to make,” Tousch said when asked about his decision to help. “A young man was critically injured and needed immediate assistance. A doctor and I were there, so we did what we could to help and support him until EMS arrived.”
The New York Times reported on Thursday morning that Mahajan jumped out of the carriage in an effort to help his mother, who had fallen out of the vehicle. Mahajan’s mother, Priya, suffered minor injuries, the Times added.
The incident on Wednesday comes a little more than a week after a carriage horse named Deniz collapsed and died in Central Park, after eating a toxic plant. The incident renewed calls for the New York City Council to pass Ryder’s Law, which would ban horse carriages from the five boroughs.
Alexander Kemp, a vice president within the Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents horse carriage drivers, said in a statement that it appeared “the driver was at least at arm’s length from his horse,” and called the fact “unacceptable.”
“A driver is not supposed to leave the carriage to take photos — ever,” Kemp added in the statement. “We support a full investigation.”
The Central Park Conservancy released the following statement on Wednesday evening.
“We are absolutely devastated to learn that Romanch Mahajan, the 18-year-old visitor injured in today’s carriage incident, has died,” the Conservancy wrote. “This is the tragedy we feared when we first called last year for horse carriages to be banned from Central Park due to the risks they pose to public safety and public health. A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life. That is not an acceptable cost of an antiquated industry operating in the middle of one of the most heavily used public spaces in America. We renew our call for New York City to pass Ryder’s Law.”
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How long are we going to allow this industry to put people and horses at risk? This is to say nothing of the horse dung stinking up the park.
It’s time to end this practice and replace the horses with electric buggies. We’re not trying to put people out of business but horses in the park, street, what have you is inappropriate in 2026.
We don’t need any buggies there
Please don’t replace them with electric cars. People can walk or bike around the park.
This is all very 1840s. I hope the kid who got hurt is OK. Maybe put down the camera and help.
WABC just said that the driver got out of the carriage to take photos of the passengers. Oy.
The 18-yr-old died.
Stop this insane , dangerous and cruel practice NOW!
Right! We started protesting in the early 2000s, DiBlasio ran on banning them, and here we still are. I one said something to a driver because his horse was biting hard on a bit that was too tight and was drooling and he started to curse at me and raised his hand. It is not only cruel to the horses, and now someone has been killed. I hope the family sues the city and wins so much money that it finally makes a difference and those poor horses are allowed to live their lives in sanctuaries.
Total chaos. How sad that these horses should have to exist in this crowded and unsafe park as it applies to them. Horses in crowded parks should not be allowed. .. They’re allowed to eat poisonous stuff growing there .. ? They have to be around loud noise from traffic ..and bikes flying by them all the time. Wrong era sorry… allow the poor things to exist in the country not in the most busy park in the world. ..
How is it the City’s fault?
The city has known how dangerous and cruel horse carriages are to the horses (there have been around 35 horses killed in the last 20 years). Transportation and any activity in the streets of NYC is under the city’s jurisdiction. They do not belong in NYC traffic or in the small stables they are kept in.
They should ban the practice. It’s on them.
The video online is horrifying. This abomination needs to be shut down NOW.
It’s long past time for this to come to an end.
He died. RIP.
Very very sad. Terrible to lose an 18 year old boy. Condolences to the grieving family.
What a senseless tragedy, there’s no reason to have the carriages in the park and its long past time they were removed.
The park’s too busy to have these dear horses work there.
This is too much. Earlier today I read that the carriage horse industry is blaming the conservancy for planting poisonous plants that were ingested by the horse that died last week. Everyone is always placing blame and not taking accountability for anything. How can anyone watch these horrifying videos and listen to the disgusting conversations taking place time after time and not admit that something is wrong here?!
Condolences to this poor child’s family. I can’t imagine what they’re going through right now. 😞
Regardless of one’s stance on the horse carriages I don’t understand how the Conservancy or anyone can be for having poisonous shrubs in Central Park. Toddlers sometimes think a taste of something — like a red berry — is a good idea.
It’s rather nostalgic and romantic the horse drawn carriages of Central Park. I can think of no better setting around Christmas time when I take myself and whomever I’m dating at the time for a carriage ride. It’s unfortunate this tourist lad died but riding in a carriage is one of the safest activities out there. It’s far safer than riding in an automobile that can reach speeds of 120 mph or more. Are we going to stop automobiles because of a death? Of course, not. Yet horse carriage rides are much safer than automobiles. We shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
Is it nostalgic and romantic for horses to walk alongside city buses on the way to their concrete warehouse “homes”?
Someone’s child dies and you call it “unfortunate.” No empathy for the horses who have died. No wonder you are dating whomever each Christmas.
You’re forgetting one thing in your twisted logic. Cars are unfortunately a necessity, horse drawn carriages in a busy public park on the other hand.
“Unfortunate?” Could you think of a more callous way to describe the death of an 18-year-old boy? I don’t think his family is thinking of their ride as “nostalgic and romantic.”
Alexander Kemp, is that you?
Regarding Deniz. Comments by the CP Conservancy defending the planting of Japanese yew are out of line.. All parts of the shrub—including the needles, bark, wood, and seeds—contain highly lethal taxine alkaloids, which are potent heart toxins. Never plant Japanese yew in areas accessible to pets or young children who might be tempted to put the berries in their mouths. The plant has no business being in Central Park. I called my my local Garden Center – they will not carry it.
Good information. It also is awful that Deniz and other horses needlessly were in the park to have access to the yew berries.
Agree that these should not be around. And you know the easiest way to accomplish that? If people stop riding them. Very simple.
Except we’ve seen you can’t expect people to do the right thing. The cruel, exploitive horse carriage rides need to be banned.
Condolences to the family of the deceased.
May their soul rest in peace.
Condolences to the family. Such a tragic loss. I hope the horse didn’t have to be euthanized from its injuries, as well.
Reports are that the horse was unharmed.
Every single council member, except one, voted against or avoided voting for Ryders Law.
https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6730709&GUID=B8A7A0AC-DD58-4517-8DBA-08A36AEFD5ED
According to the carriage drivers union, it is a fight between immigrant jobs and those with real estate interests. How do these 200 drivers defeat NYC “monied interests, “ the mayor, the park conservancy, the public, and everyone against these carriages?
None of this adds up. What am I missing? I am left with only one conclusion: only the carriage union is ‘donating’ to the council members.
I bet you that most people on this thread who are correctly calling for the end of these horse drawn carriages are also pro-union. After all it’s union pressure on our easily manipulated politicians that are keeping this practice going. Keep up the good vote uws. . .
The carriage driver is responsible. How much experience does he have driving those carriages and if he doesn’t have any who did he pay off to get the job.
He knew what he was doing when he was taking the photo and looking for a larger tip.
He should be indicted for murder.
The indictment should also include the people and company responsible for giving him the job.
Hopefully the grieving family will sue the driver, the company and the city for allowing such a thing to happen.
I often see carriage drivers standing at a distance from their carriage, taking pictures of their passengers. I had no idea this was not allowed.
This is an old issue and you can count on NYC not to do the right thing for anybody but whichever mob is benefitting a few people at the expense of the rest.
This is beyond disgraceful. It is disgusting. What in heavens name is the city doing. BAN HORSE BUGGIES NOW. who else has to die. First horses and now humans.
Other news reports said that the driver left the carriage and was standing some distance away taking photos of the occupants when the carriage was sideswiped by another one and the horse bolted. IIRC, the driver was suspended because he’s supposed to be in control of the vehicle at all times. The horse is okay but has been taken out of service.
Another very sad example of why the “carriage trade” is obsolete and dangerous on today’s crowded roadways.
What a senseless tragedy. An 18 yr. old young man lost his life for nothing. The senseless cruelty having horses pull clueless tourists and New Yorker’s around the park chained to a carriage in too often cold and somtimes sweltering weather for hrs. at a time is archaic and abominable. About 9 months ago around 9PM, I was walking on Central Park South near 59th St. and came upon a carriage driver resting and his horse standing forlorn beside him. I could see the sadness in the horses’ eyes. I immediately walked up to the horse and started petting his beautiful long face softly kissing his head below his eyes I looked directly into its eyes and I can see how he was thanking me. I started to 😢 and continued petting its gorgeous head.
Thank you for your kindness and beautiful heart.
Years ago, a runaway horse and carriage missed me by just a few feet before it took off into the Park, with two men running behind it. I’ve been advocating for the removal of horses and carriages since then. Maybe now that a person has been killed, City Hall will listen.
If this doesn’t change the law, nothing will. These carriages are antiquated and dangerous and harmful for the horses. They should have been outlawed years ago.If the lawmakers had done their jobs this tragic incident could have been avoided!
City Council, what the hell does it take? The carriage drivers will find jobs elsewhere; possibly the union would help them. Convene a special session and pass Ryder’s Law, implementing it immediately, not phasing it out over a month or year.
A lawsuit.
This is a terrible tragedy and a preventable one. Condolences to the family who suffered this devastating loss. How many accidents must take place before politicians finally end the antiquated practice of having horse drawn carriages in Central Park??
And PLEASE do not replace them with electric buggies!!! There are more than enough bike-driven tourist buggies that can be used by tourists. For those politicians who favored the old fashioned horse and carriage, which has proven inappropriate for modern day park life, let’s not now destroy the atmosphere with any electronic vehicles. It’s a glorious park, designed for the residents of NYC not throngs of tourists. Sure, they should also enjoy the park. But it should not be ruined for everyone with electric tourist vehicles.
My prayers go out to that poor family. It’s time to end this cruelty. Eliminate carriages and have controlled horseback riding on the Bridle Path where it’s safe. Riding horses are carefully transported from the park and stables safely and stress-free
This is awful and tragic. This horse & carriage business needs to end NOW not only for the safety of people but also the horses.
Just turned on the news and someone from the carriage horse industry suggested putting hitching posts in the park to make things safer for everyone involved. So disturbing when people can’t see the big picture. 😞
I mean it’s 2026 … inhumane as hell to have horse drawn carriages anyway. Poor horses and poor guy!
OMG!!! What will it take to make those indecisive people
advocate for a ban on horses and cariages in our Park…??
What other tragedy will convince you a ban is badly needed.
Once and for all Please ban horses and carriages!!
Yes please stop this ridiculous tradition of horse riding carriages
If it was up to the tourists, I believe a majority would vote to have the carriages. If it was up to the residents who frequently use the park, I believe a majority would ban the carriages. A few years ago, a young Australian woman lost her life while biking along CPW. Lanes were changed despite heated opposition over the loss of some street parking. Result is greater safety and we acclimated well to the changes. If this young Indian tourist dies with no change in carriage trade it will say a lot about current values… and possibly prejudice. Do the right thing, support the Central Park Conservancy. Protect trusting tourists who die needlessly.
AGAIN
The meaning of that child’s name means thrill and was not looking for one just enjoying great vacation with his family and horrific tragedy happened. Prayers for the family.