It has been announced that a 21-year-old man is in custody after an alleged botched equine robbery has led to the death of a pair of Standardbred racehorses.

According to an article by ABC affiliate WPTA 21, John R. Eicher of Berne, Indiana has been arrested and charged in relation to the incident.

The WPTA 21 report states that in addition to tack, a jog cart and other miscellaneous racing items, Eicher is alleged to have stolen a total of three Standardbreds from the Mercer County Fairgrounds in Celina, Ohio.

Police received a call at roughly 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning (March 3) in regard to an overturned horse trailer that was found on a roadway near the fairgrounds. Two of the three racehorses in question were found inside the trailer.

The two horses, which have since been identified as Gear Box and Latest Rock, were found deceased in the trailer when police arrived. The third Standardbred in question, M R Fearfullflight, which had reportedly been stolen earlier and not involved in the fatal accident, has since been returned to its owner.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Gear Box and Latest Rock.

(With files from WPTA 21)