Horse dragged for 100 yards

BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) - Authorities in Bastrop County are looking for a man who allegedly dragged his horse for 100 yards leaving it with severe injuries. 

On Nov. 10, a witness saw Mariano Villafuerta, 43, tie a horse to his truck in the 200 block of Mesa Drive in Del Valle and started to drive away. 

The witness said Villafuerta accelerated to a high rate of speed with the horse still tied to the hitch of the truck. The horse had a difficult time keeping up, fell to its side and was dragged for about 100 yards.

According to the arrest warrant, Villafuerta then stopped the truck, got out and began kicking the horse in the neck until it stood up. Villafuerta then grabbed the horse by the lead rope and ran the horse down the driveway to the house in the 300 block of Mesa Drive.

The witness noticed that the horse's left eye was damaged as well as the skin on his body. The deputy who arrived to take the report took pictures of the aforementioned injuries.

The witness said the horse apparently got out of Villafuerta's property and was roaming around when Villafuerta found it.

The Bastrop County Sheriff's Office will charge Villafuerta with cruelty to livestock animals by tripping, which is a state jail felony.

As of Wednesday night, officials have not located Villafuerta.

The horse is currently going through rehabilitation at the Meadow Haven Horse Rescue .