Motorcyclist injured in crash with horse trailer in Santa Ynez Valley

A motorcyclist was critically injured Sunday afternoon after colliding with a horse trailer in the Santa Ynez Valley.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., Santa Barbara County firefighters and California Highway Patrol officers responded to the 1900 block of North Refugio Road, Fire Department spokesman Mike Eliason said.

He said the motorcyclist had been traveling on a private driveway before colliding with a horse trailer that was being towed by a truck along Refugio Road.

The injured motorcyclist, a male in his 20s, was transported by CalStar medical helicopter to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment of critical injuries, Eliason said.

A second motorcycle rider was evaluated at the scene for a medical condition but didn’t strike the trailer, he added.

The driver of the truck towing the trailer wasn’t aware it had been hit until reaching his destination, where he saw the damage and a shoe wedged in the trailer, Eliason said.

After seeing evidence of a collision, the driver retraced his route, Eliason said.

Officers from the CHP’s Buellton area office will investigate the circumstances of the crash.

The motorcyclist’s identity and medical condition were not disclosed, and additional information about the incident was not immediately available.

Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.