24+ horses killed in Indiana truck wreck

[Kestrel]

To generalize, a common carrier will haul/ship nearly anything that a person will pay them to ship. Usually less-than-truckload (ltl) shipments and have a terminal for sorting/reloading freight. A contract carrier could carry loads for more than one company at a time, but has a contract with one or more companies to haul stuff for them. The loads are usually full truck loads from one shipper. There are exceptions to the rules for household shipments when you move and probably many other things as well.

[fernie fox]

This is a long and excellant article.

I think it is very honest.

Kudos to John Holland for all his research and work he has done on this case.

John Hollands Complete Article.

[needabreak]

Bryn - I look forward to your letter writing suggestions.

I haven't been able to get the above provided links to work - I keep getting "Document Not Found"

With Mr. Holland's permission, I am cutting a pasting the entire updated article that he sent to me by email:
------------------------------------

Facts about the September 15th Accident with the Double Deck Trailer
(Revised 10/13/04)
Prepared by: John Holland, Team Red Horse, Hollandtech @ earthlink.net

The following report is based on the best information available at the
time of its writing. It is believed to be the most accurate report available
but may still contain errors. It may be reposted or published freely
as long as it is posted in its entirety.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
This revision: Unless there are additional developments, this will
probably be my last revision of this fact sheet. The only addition
to this version is an anonymous letter of support I received from
someone claiming to be a friend of the Rameys. It is attached to
the end of the report. There are also a number of small corrections
and additions.

================================================== ====================
The Accident Facts:

The accident occurred Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 15th on Indiana
State Rt. 1, just north of Lawrenceburg and one half mile from the
Greendale City limits(3)(4). The tractor pulling a double deck
trailer came around a curve and slid off the roadway striking a
guardrail, then going over an embankment the vehicle fell over
on its side and hit a utility pole breaking the pole. A small
fire was started by the downed wires.

Dearborn police stated that big rigs often used the route to avoid
the scales on the I-74, I-275 interstates if they were overweight.
According to the Dearborn Journal, a weight ticket from a Northern
Indiana weigh station indicates that the weight there was 78,000
pounds. The limit for the vehicle is 80,000 (possibly 83,000
according to Deputy Holdcraft). It was also reported that rigs use
this stretch of road to avoid going through Ohio (for gas tax
purposes). Unlike automobiles, for these commercial trucks gas
taxes are paid by miles traveled in a state and not at the pump.

The question was posed as to whether the truck could have gone through
the scales without a log book, but the answer appears to depend on
the state involved. In most cases the log book does not appear to
be checked unless there is a problem with the truck being overweight.

The reports of the various media outlets varied widely on the number
of horses that died at the scene, the number euthanized, and the even
the total number. I therefore called Dr. Nenni to clarify them(10).
The following facts are directly from my telephone interviews with Dr.
Nenni. I told him that I was researching facts and would try to
disseminate then as widely as possible so as to reduce misinformation
and speculation, and to attempt to minimize the number of people
bothering him. He was extremely responsive and helpful. After our
initial conversation he called me back with further information.

According to Dr. Nenni he euthanized 12 horses when he arrived
(not the 6 as reported in some references below). He indicated
that the reporter who had said the owner had told him to euthanize
any horses that “could not go on” had misunderstood his meaning.
By “going on” he meant horses that had no reasonable chance for
survival. No horses were euthanized that had a reasonably chance
of survival, he said.

There have been various reports about a dun/buckskin gelding that
was kept by the property owner(24). The property owner paid $1,200
cash for this horse because he had attached himself to her and had
followed her around during the aftermath of the accident. (For
those who contend horses are stupid animals this would seem to be
proof that this one was not!) When the new owner was sold the horse,
she was not given the vet records or Coggins even though Ramey said
they all have the necessary vet records.

The earlier report that this might have been in exchange for damages
was based on a discussion to that end, but was not the way it turned
out. At this writing the property owner has apparently received
nothing at all for the damages, not even an apology.

The horses appeared to have come from two different auctions and the
buckskin carried a freeze brand(24). The horse was traced back to Montana.
The original owner of the horse said he had too many horses and had
heeded the advice that he should take some to auction. He stated that
these were such fine animals that he never dreamed they would end up
in the care of someone who would allow the fate that they suffered. He
said he would think long and hard before taking another horse to
auction!

According to multiple eye witnesses(24), none of the Rameys seemed at
all concerned about the horses and they made no attempt to help them
in any way. During most of the period they are reported to have sat
on the guardrail. “They never touched a single horse”, said one
witness. They didn’t thank the many people who turned out to help the
horses, or even the veterinarian according to the witnesses (Dr. Nenni
has confirmed this to a third party).


In fairness, these individuals had experienced a very traumatic
accident and might have been in shock, but eyewitnesses accounts do
not entertain this possible explanation.

Additionally, there was a report of a foal whose mother had been
killed being left behind with someone owning a mare that had lost
its foal(24). This was only half true. The mare who had lost its
foal was one of the survivors. She accepted the orphan and he
nursed for about a half hour. They were among those loaded and
sent on to the Ramey farm.

The Standard Fertilizer Company reported removing 21 dead horses.

The remaining horses continued to the Ramey farm but no count of
these has been established.

Therefore the total number of horses that died was 21, and the
total number that survived was probably 29, for a grand total of 50.
Dr. Nenni stated some of the misestimates of the number killed
came from the fact that most of the horses shown laying about
the pasture in press photos were not the dead, but rather the
survivors who laid down after the stress of the accident.

Dr. Nenni further told me that he did not check Coggins papers
(that was not his function there). He indicated, but that he
later established contact with the Kentucky State veterinarian
waiting at the Ramey farm and that he was told they checked
all the appropriate paperwork.

Dr. Nenni said he did check some of the bills of sale and that
most of the horses he checked were registered horses including
paints and quarter horses. The Kentucky State veterinarian later
told Dr. Nenni that all of the horses came from legal auctions
in the North.

According to first hand accounts, some of the injured horses
were made to wait 1 to 1 ½ hours. This has been attributed to
the fact that most veterinarians were away from the area at
a conference, leaving Dr. Nenni and his staff the only ones
at the scene. Dr. Nenni confirms this and says that his first
priority was the horses trapped in the overturned trailer and
in doing triage.

New information from eye witnesses indicates that Dr. Nenni
arrived on the scene within minutes of the accident, but because
of circumstances several horses had to be shot. I have not yet
confirmed the exact reason for this with Dr. Nenni, but it may
have been due to a shortage of euthanasia drugs and/or horses
that could not be handled well enough for these injections to
be safe. Since only his clinic was available it would not be
surprising that the situation exceeded their normal supply
level(24).

Also according to first hand accounts, several people in the
area had guns and wanted to shoot the horses but the Sheriff
would not allow it and threatened to handcuff anyone with a
gun to the trees! It is not known who finally shot the horses
for whom there were not sufficient drugs.

According to a first hand report, "In a forward compartment
there were several horses all believed to be dead (including a
2 month old baby <foal&gt. When using the crane to get the trailer
up there was a bunch of banging and kicking. They set it down
and went in and found a mule in the middle of a bunch of dead
horses without a scratch." <End of first hand report>

Multiple reports agree that the upper deck of the trailer
partially collapsed onto the horses in the lower deck,
mortally injuring many of them.

According to the accident report(23), Dr. Nenni was assisted
by Sherri Grote.

The driver and passengers were treated and released.

The surviving horses were moved to a coral at the residence
of Chris and Michelle Belshaw, 19534 Whitaker Lane
until they calmed down. The remaining horses, except for a
buckskin that was purchased by the property owner, were then
reloaded and continued to their destination which the owner
said was the Ramey Ranch 160 miles away in Flemingsburg, KY.

Deputy Holdcraft was quoted in a telephone interview as
saying that he and most people at the scene urged Ramey not
to continue with the horses until they had rested a day
or two. According to at least two reports Ramey said they
were his property and he could do as he pleased with them.

A member of our team interviewed one of the state officials
who was present at the accident. According to this official,
"Horses on the trailer were for the most part, not nice
looking horses”, however the majority of reports now indicate
that many of the horses were very nice indeed. There was
a matched pair of paint draft horses, and other paint horses
still had their manes done up in show braids. A few horses
even had leather halters with brass name tags! Some horses
apparently sold for prices in the neighborhood of $1,500, and
many were shod all around. Some were fine looking but totally
untrained and not even halter broken(24).

The picture that emerges is of a group of horses some of whom
only days before came from caring families and owners who sold
them at auction thinking they would be well cared for. These
were apparently mixed in with others who had never received
the simplest training.

The horses also included three that were AQHA registered and
almost identically marked Doc Bar / O’Lena, 2 - 3 year old
buckskin mares, one of which did not survive. Injuries included
deep cuts to the legs, broken legs, broken backs, broken necks,
and disembowelment(24). There was also a black paint mare heavy
with foal, a four year old Overo stallion, and several young
roans.



Also according to eyewitnesses (24), the horses were very
hungry and thirsty, and sadly even a few with obviously broken
legs were grazing intently, seemingly unaware of the severity
of their injuries. There were horses with rubbed raw horizontal
areas across the withers suggesting at some point they were
rubbing against the top of the double decker. The buckskin
purchased by the land owners had this type of injury as well
as a slight cough and fever. The shipping fever was treated
and the horse recovered quickly.

Many of the horses were young, and they traveled on the bottom.
[This agrees with Dr. Nenni's account]. The older or
taller horses traveled on top. The top of the entire trailer
was shorn off. There were four mules." Other reports indicate
that one of these was a small burro. Dr. Nenni estimated
that 20% of the horses were below riding age (2 years).

Note that there is some confusion here, because the above
paragraph implies that only 20% of the horses were in the
bottom compartment and that these were the smallest. This
implies that over 80% of the weight was in the top compartment.
if this were truly the case, the truck would have been
incredibly unstable.

Eye witnesses confirm that there were indeed draft sized
horses traveling in the upper compartment(24).

At the scene, Jody Ramey of Flemingsburg Kentucky claimed
to be the owner of the horses. He was a passenger in the
truck and claimed the horses were bought at auction in
Minnesota to be sold as trail and riding horses. The Ramey's
are members of the Kentucky Cattlemen's Assoc. Much confusion
has come from the first names of Mr. and Mrs. Ramey. The
marriage records and the official accident report differ
in the spelling of Jody/Jodey Ramey’s name:

Groom: Jodey D. Ramey, 23, Fleming Co.
(Spelling Jodey disagrees with other records)
Bride: Jodi E. Chaplin, 23, Pendleton Co.; married 24 July 1999.

Almost all media accounts use the spelling “Jodi”, but they
are referring to the husband.

Two sources tell me that there was a co-owner (possibly
by gentlemen’s agreement), Mr. Larry Browning of Maysville

Kentucky. Mr. Browning is said to operate New OK Stockyard in
Maysville.

According to the State Motor Carrier, Jody Ramey produced
sale papers on three or four of the horses with bills of
sale showing they had sold in the $500.00 range. These
were produced from a large envelope, two inches thick, stuffed
with papers and no one checked the individual horses nor did
anyone look at the other papers in the envelope.

There was another tractor trailer, also commissioned by Ramey
traveling in front of the one that crashed. It has now been
determined that it was also a double decker. According to the
State Motor Carrier, Jody Ramey radioed this truck and instructed
it not to come back to the scene and help, but rather to keep
going to Kentucky. Dr. Nenni states that Ramey said he had
bought 102 horses in Northern Minnesota and split them
between the two trucks. According to Deputy Holdcraft the
trucks had been carrying 50 and 52 horses respectively. He
further stated that Ramey determined that the truck involved
was the one with 50 horses (not 52 or 53 as previously believed.)

According to the subsequent accident report (23), the conditions
were daylight, dry and clear and no drugs or alcohol were involved.
The road conditions are listed as a level curve and the vehicle
was shown as going straight (the meaning is taken to be that it
was not turning or passing). There is no explanation as to why
it left the road, and there were rumble strips along the edge of
the two lane road. (Every fact points to the top heavy trailer.)

The report simply says the truck ran off the road. The owner
of the horses is reported as Jody D. Ramey. This spelling does
not appear to agree with the marriage license (Jodey D. Ramey)
and it is possible we have yet another mistake regarding spelling.
Jody Ramey’s address is given as 8195 Mt. Sterling, Flemingsburg
KY. 41041. The driver was confirmed to be Kristopher K. Ramey,
age 29, of Flemingsburg.

Also according to the accident report (23), the tractor was a Green
Peterbilt model TT, license 9MV750 (KY). The registered owner’s
name was Kristopher Ramey the driver(not Jody and not Fleming
Packing Co.), and his address was given as 200 Ruckers St.
Flemingsburg, KY 41041.

The accident report also shows the trailer, license T17523 as
belonging to Ramey Trucking LLC, 1579 Mocking Bird Hill,
Flemingsburg, KY 41041. Finally, the Commercial Carrier is
given as Ramey Livestock, 200 Rucker St. (the same address
as Kristopher Ramey).

According to witnesses, all of the equipment involved in the
accident appeared to be a total loss(24).

The following records were found concerning the ownership of
these LLC corporations:

Company Name RAMEY TRUCKING, LLC

Organization number 0498141
Status Active
Standing Good
State KY
Company Type KLC
File Date 7/21/2000
Org. Date 7/21/2000
Authority Date
Exp. Date
Last Annual Report 5/7/2004
Date Agent Resigned
Registered Agent CHARLES KENNETH RAMEY, JR.
Registered Office 1579 MOCKINGBIRD HILL
FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041
Principal Office 1579 MOCKINGBIRD HILL
FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041
Organizers: CHARLES KENNETH RAMEY, JR.
Members/Managers: Charles K Ramey Jr Manager

and

Company Name RAMEY LIVESTOCK, LLC
Organization number 0578597
Status Active
Standing Good
State KY
Company Type KLC
Country
File Date 2/11/2004
Org. Date 2/11/2004
Authority Date
Exp. Date
Last Annual Report Date


Agent Resigned
Registered Agent KELLY RAMEY
Registered Office 200 RUCKER ST
FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041
Principal Office 200 RUCKER ST
FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041
Organizers: KELLY RAMEY ORGANIZER

It is interesting to note that Jody Ramey is not mentioned
in either company. Kelly Ramey of Ramey Livestock LLC was
reported in one account(14) to be the driver of the truck
but he is not mentioned in the accident report. According
to the accident report(23), the passenger in the cab was Oakley
Cooper. Mr. Cooper was the driver of the truck that overturned
killing 30 cows in August of 2003. The tractor was insured
by Heritage Insurance of Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Rusty Ford, the staff assistant to Robert Strout (Executive
Director, Office of the Kentucky State Veterinarian) was
Contacted by two persons. Mr. Ford indicated in a telephone
Conversation that all horse papers (including Coggins tests)
were checked at the State line and that the horses were checked
both there and at the Ramey farm.

In a letter to Gail Vacca, Rusty Ford wrote:

“Also, I can attest that we had a Livestock Inspector visit
the Ramey's farm following these animal's arrival and determined
that there was no evidence of disease among this group of horses.
Mr. Ramey is a licensed livestock dealer - thus our inspectors
have frequent interaction with him - with his record indicating
he is in good standing with the Kentucky Department of
Agriculture's Division of Animal Health.”

Although the reports from the State Veterinarian implies the
horses were in good health, there are conflicting reports that
some of the horses were injured badly enough that they may
never be sound. The discrepancy may come from the fact that
the State veterinarian was concerned primarily with communicable
disease, and the wording above does not say the horses were
in good health, but that they showed no evidence of disease.

To make things more confusing, some people (including Dr. Nenni)
understood that Coggins papers were checked on the horses by the
Kentucky State Veterinarian, but when Mr. Ford was asked to clarify
this he wrote Gail Vaca:

------------------------------------------------------------------
MS VACCA:

As stated in my earlier communication: We investigated the entry of
the animals surviving the accident and determined that the required
permits had been applied for by Mr. Ramey. I have nothing to suggest
that these animals were accompanied with a negative test for Equine
Infectious Anemia. I would offer that if these animals were
accompanied with that testing documentation and Certificate of
Inspection, there would have been no requirement nor need for Mr.
Ramey to apply for the entry permit.

Rusty Ford
Equine Programs Manager
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Reporter Briant Hemmert of Channel 5 News out of Cincinnati
visited the Ramey farm but was stonewalled.

The driver was reported as Kristopher K. Ramey (23) but was
mistakenly reported as Kelly Ramey later(14). It was
reported he was sited for not having a log book but it now
appears he had not logged the trip(14)(15) and was charged
with making improper entries.

According to an eyewitness, the driver admitted to being
over his allotted driving hours but that without a log book
this charge could not be prosecuted.

There was a second passenger in the truck. Unconfirmed third
person information indicates that the two passengers might
not have had the proper paperwork required, and that Jody
Ramey’s claim to be the co-driver was not accepted(15).

The multiple reports that the tractor trailer was owned by
the Fleming Meat Packing Co. of Flemingsburg KY were later
shown to be incorrect! Both the accident report and the
personal conversations with Mr. Bob Lawson, the owner of
the packing company refute these reports. The tractor was
owned by Khristopher Ramey / Ramey Livestock, LLC. I regret
that this misinformation was included in my fact sheet.

There is no established relationship between the Rameys and
the meat packing company other than the fact that they
slaughtered cattle and hogs for the Rameys.

Horse slaughter is NOT illegal in Kentucky so if a
slaughterhouse was the intended destination of any of
these horses it would not have been against state law. None
of the horses were wearing the tags required for slaughter
bound horses.

Several people(8) have confirmed that the Rameys do buy horses
regularly at Sugar Creek and other auctions, and at least one
person confirms having bought a saddle horse from them.
According to one source “Jodi (Jody) and his dad buy horses from
up north and hauls them to the auctions all the way down to
Tennessee. He goes non-stop through the auctions buying
riding horses cheap then re-sells them. I have know Jodi
for a long time, didn't know that the tractor/trailer
his dad drove was hauling horses though. I have only seen
Jodi pull through the auctions with a big gooseneck stock
trailer.”

It has not been established whether the Rameys resell to
slaughterhouses like Cavel in DeKalb Illinois. It has,
however, been reported that Ramey took horses North on his
way to Minnesota on this trip. If true, the destination
of these horses is unknown. Since accounts indicated
that Ramey took advantage of the cheap horse prices in the
North to sell in the South, it is not clear why he would
take horses North for sale, if indeed that report is true.

The reason the trucks were taking the back route that is
commonly used to avoid the scales is also not clear. The
State Motor Carrier said that most of the horses were small
and that it was therefore unlikely that the trailer was
overloaded, and a weigh ticket confirms this according to
multiple sources.

According to Channel 5 (14), Indiana authorities said Ramey
Trucking owned the trailer. Police said rules were broken
that day, and the driver may have been able to prevent the
accident. "The guy driving the truck had not logged any of
the trip," said Beverley Ochs, of Indiana Law Enforcement.

"They had put the smaller (horses) on the bottom and the
taller ones on the top," Ochs said. "I think that's what
also probably attributed to it. Once they took to going
over the hill, everything heavier on top helped in to roll."

Ramey Trucking

The Ramey trucking operation is:

Ramey Trucking LLC
USDOT Number 874428
MC or MX Number 426855
1579 MOCKINGBIRD HILL
FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041

The safety history of the Ramey operations is now coming
to light. In 2003 the Ramey Trucking Company had a similar
accident, and Channel 5 now confirms this to be the same Ramey
family.

Here is the report from the August 9, 2003 accident in
Erlanger Kentucky:

<<Thirty cows died when the tractor-trailer carrying them
crashed Saturday morning on the ramp from northbound
Interstate 75 to westbound Interstate 275. Erlanger police
closed the ramp for about 81/2 hours after Oakley Cooper,
27, of Flemingsburg, lost control of a tractor-trailer
owned by Ramey Trucking of Flemingsburg at 2:25 a.m.
Police said the trailer broke lose from the truck and
flipped onto its right side, skidding for more than 350
feet and striking a light pole. >> <End of information
about similar accident>

We have confirmed Channel 5’s claim that an inspection
report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
shows that out of 10 inspections over the last two years,
the Ramey's have had vehicles put out of service four times.
Out of 31 driver inspections, three drivers were prohibited
from driving.

This rate of failure on their equipment (40%) is almost twice
as bad as the national average (22.92%). Their driver
failures (9.7%) are also half again worse than the national
average (6.78%)!

A check of the official records shows they had only two
“power units” (tractors) and two drivers as of 01/15/2003.
These units traveled 226,000 miles in 2002. It is believed
that they may have used other equipment as well.

The company was written up for the following violations
(convictions not known):

9/18/02 KY (Tires having fabric or cords exposed)( 393.75)
1/6/03 KY (Brake out of adjustment) (396.3A1 B A)
2/27/03 KS (Speeding)
5/22/03 IA (False Reporting on Log Book)(395.8E)
(Driver disqualified) (391.15)
6/5/03 KY (Speeding)
6/27/03 KY (Brake line hose) (393.45)
7/16/03 IN (Speeding)
11/04/03 MO (Failure to keep record of duty status)(395.8A)
11/19/03 NE (Speeding)
(Failure to keep record of duty status)(395.8A)
11/20/03 KS (Speeding)
(Failing to secure or check load (392.9A)
12/12/03 IL (Speeding)
1/20/04 KS (Speeding)
(KS (Failing to secure or check load (392.9A3/5/04)
6/23/04 IN (Speeding)

It is interesting to note that the Rameys seem to have
an aversion to keeping log books. This was one of the

violations charged at the accident.

Additionally, according to the Flemingsburg Ledger Independent(25):
Fleming District Court, Sept. 30, (04) Judge Todd Walton presiding:
Kristopher Ramey, 29, inadequate silencer, failed to appear,
DOT notified.


According to the KY secretary of state's database, in addition
to Ramey Livestock, LLC and Ramey Trucking, LLC, both of
Flemingsburg, there are three other trucking companies in
Flemingsburg with ties to people named Ramey. The corporate
records indicate no relationship to Jody Ramey (below) and Ramey
is a common name in the area. The relationships are not known.

The companies are:

R AND R EXPRESS, INC.
Organization Number 0471879
Organization Date 3/31/1999
Last Annual Report 8/10/2004
Principal Office:
6821 MT STERLING RD
FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041
Registered Agent: JAMES L. RAMEY
ROUTE 2 BOX 80J

FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041
Authorized Shares 100
Current Officers:
President James L Ramey
Vice President Robin S Ramey
Secretary Robin S Ramey
Treasurer Robin S Ramey
Director Robin S Ramey
Director James L Ramey
Director JAMES L RAMEY
Incorporators and Initial Directors
Incorporator CHARLES K RAMEY JR
Incorporator JAMES L RAMEY
Incorporator ROY SHANE RAMEY

and

D. RAMEY EXPRESS, INC.
Organization Number 0478530
Organization Date 8/10/1999
Last Annual Report 5/25/2004

Principal Office 159 DAYS MILL RD.
FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041
Registered Agent DEBORAH L. RAMEY
159 DAYS MILL RD.
FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041
Authorized Shares 100
Current Officers
President Deborah L. Ramey
Vice President Mark E. Ramey
Incorporators and Initial Directors
Incorporator DEBORAH L. RAMEY

and

C & C EXPRESS, LLC
Organization Number 0540077
Organization Date 7/3/2002
Last Annual Report 8/10/2004
Principal Office 6821 MT. STERLING ROAD
FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041
Managed By Members
Registered Agent JIMMY RAMEY
6821 MT. STERLING ROAD
FLEMINGSBURG, KY 41041
Current Officers
Member Jimmy Ramey
Incorporators and Initial Directors
Organizer JIMMY RAMEY



---------------------------------------------------------


Where were the horses going and where did they end up?

The Rameys have chosen not to be public in this issue,
so I have only hearsay and I am reporting it as such.
Even so, those of us who have been on discussion groups
learn to look for consistency in divining the truth and
I find most of the accounts on both sides believable.

In addition to people I have contacted and can reference,
a huge number of other posts have been made. I do not
include them unless I have permission, but it is only fair
to say that the Rameys have a significant number of people
who claim to know them and feel they are decent horse
dealers (in addition to the two people who personally
told me this). There are a smaller number who claim to
know them who feel very negatively about them and their
operations.

Interestingly, whether these reports are supportive or
not they seem to be describing the same operations! I
should mention that almost every letter I have received
in support of the Rameys, and almost every post has made
a point of disapproving of the way they hauled the horses
involved in this accident. Likewise, some people have
apparently witnessed animals under Ramey’s care that
were clearly in need of worming and other treatment.


It appears that the condition of any given animal may
be predominantly a function of how it was when it was
bought because Ramey does not appear to keep stock for
any amount of time.

One of the most extensive collections of posts by people
claiming to know the Rameys is on the ChronOfHorse.com.
The picture that emerges is pretty clear. The Rameys
have been in the horse trading business virtually all
their lives. In the world they come from horses are
livestock and are to be traded as quickly as possible
to turn a profit. In some cases this may be good for
an individual horse, and in some cases it may be bad.

They clearly are not traditional “Killer Buyers” who
frequent large auctions and take the whole load of
horses straight to slaughter. They have refined their
techniques over time, and in driving their costs
down have resorted to measures like the double deck
trailers.


The Rameys have clearly been successful at this business
and have a large flow of horses. They are not a small
operation and have significant facilities. The answer to
where horses go appears to be that they go to a wide variety
of outlets. Some are high quality horses probably sold
directly to people in that market, many go to auctions
and still others appear to end up in slaughter. I have
now seen five posts by people claiming that this is the
case, and some of these are from supporters of the
Rameys, saying that it is best for the horses involved.
One person quoted Ramey as saying “If I can’t turn
a profit on a horse one way I will do it another” when
asked if he sold horses to slaughter. (again all of this
is hearsay)

The horses involved in the accident have been reported
in several posts. One person claimed to be working with
the injured horses at the Ramey farm and that most were
coming along nicely. According to this person one mare
had deep cuts but was healing, but most the remaining
injuries were superficial. This does not agree with
another unconfirmed report from a veterinarian who
reportedly said that several of the horses would never
be sound again. Again, this may be two people looking
at the same animals through different eyes.

At last report (24) it appears most of the horses are
still at the Ramey farm. Second hand reports indicate
that the Rameys gave two badly injured horses to
veterinarians rather than pay for their treatment, but
this has not been confirmed. This is consistent
with the reports that two of the horses, including one
of the matched paint draft pair, were more badly injured
than the others.

I have three reports that say several of the foals were
auctioned at the Maysville auction a few days after
the accident, but apparently these were from the first
truck. This would seem to agree with the report
concerning Mr. Browning’s possible half ownership in
the horses.

The reports of the horses being at the Ramey farm agree
with the report in The Horse (22). Marcella M. Reca
reported :

[The surviving horses from a trailer accident occurring in
Indiana on Sept. 15 are all doing well according to Rusty
Ford, equine programs manager for the Kentucky Department
of Agriculture (KDA). Ford said, "I have spoken with Mr.
Jodi <should be Jodey?> Ramey on the telephone (on Sept. 22),
and he said the horses are showing improvements (from their
injuries). I also spoke with the veterinarian providing care
to the horses, and he said the wounds resulting from the
accident are superficial."]


--------------------------------------------------------
Aftermath and Consequences

The incredible attention that this tragedy has received
is already having consequences well beyond the people
and animals involved. At this time a petition is
being circulated in Indiana to outlaw the transportation
of horses in double decker trucks. A similar bill (SB 86)
failed in Indiana in 2002.

The Department of Transportation will no doubt have some
difficulty explaining how an operation like Ramey Livestock
can so blatantly ignore the rules and continue to operate,
spewing cows and then horses across the highway twice in
little more than a year. Stricter enforcement may well
result.

Additionally, even though there is no known direct linkage

between these horses and horse slaughter, a wide audience
has been made aware of the issue of both inhumane
transportation and horse slaughter. When Americans learn
of horse slaughter more than three out of four are outraged
and immediately opposed to the practice.


--------------------------------------------------------

Perspective (editorial and opinion)

This whole controversy appears to be a microcosm of the
changing way people view horses and the way horses will
be treated in the future. The movement to stop horse
slaughter has grown to the point where there is little
doubt that it will be outlawed at the federal level
in the near future.

At the present time only one man stands between HR-857
(The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act) and law,
and that is Rep. Bob Goodlatte the chairman of the House
Agriculture Committee. He is the Dutch boy with his
finger in the dike for the slaughter industry and
sooner or later he will have to pull it out. (It is
the goal of our Team Red Horse to make this sooner
rather than later). This in itself will probably
not affect the Rameys greatly, but there are things
happening that will.

The world of the Rameys and the auctions is on a
collision course with the internet. Countless
thousands of horses are now being posted and sold over
groups and message boards without ever going to auction.
I have watched just one of these groups (PMURescue) as
it has placed hundreds of horses this year. Boards like
this become “virtual auctions”. We ourselves adopted
three this way in the past year.

There are huge advantages to this new model of horse
trading. The stress on these animals and their exposure
to disease and injury is greatly reduced. Since
there is no dealer like the Ramey family making a cut,
and since the horses are only transported once, there
is a built in efficiency.

Just as important is the fact that the horses have a
better chance of finding a good home because if someone
is looking for a horse of a specific color or breed,
they do not need to be at the right place at the right
time and neither does the horse.

A final advantage to the new model is that it allows
people to team up in adopting one or more horses, and
to support each other with any problems that occur.

We have become fast friends with others on the PMURescue
site and I watched in amazement this week as they rescued
a group of foals destined for slaughter. These foals
will never see the inside of a double deck truck or
the harsh reality of an auction. Best of all they will
never go down a chute and find themselves in a metal box
covered in blood with a man preparing to kill them for
no reason they can understand.

Interestingly, there are even yahoo groups for tracking
down stolen horses (netposse) and for finding trucking
companies to move horses purchased or adopted over the
internet (haulahorse).

For those who ask “what will happen to all the unwanted
horses if slaughter is stopped”, this new model is a large
part of the answer. There are even adopters on these
groups who adopt only old horses and injured or lame
ones.

Another problem looms for the auction/dealer business as
well. This year was a banner year because of the fact
that Wythe scaled back its PMU (Pregnant Mare Urine)
herds from about 50,000 to 15,000. Thus an estimated
35,000 mares have been streaming into the auctions and
onto the rescue sites. This is a one time windfall, but
will mean that the unwanted foals that these mares
produced each year will no longer be finding their way
into the auctions.

One pattern that emerges in the case of Rameys is that
they seem to have been resorting to less humane transportation
and handling in recent months. This, combined with the
apparent shoddy maintenance(14,20,21) of their vehicles would
indicate that they have had to decrease their costs. This
might well be the result of the forces I mentioned above.

Could this have led them into new channels for their horses
in an effort to cut corners even further? Could
the recent surge in beef prices(19) have affected this?
Until they go on record or the records emerge we will
not know.

For operations like the Rameys and for auction markets,
the internet will continue to erode their profitability
if they continue in the old traditions. Likewise, the
internet is the main reason that horse slaughter is under
such pressure. Times are changing and with any luck it
will mean a better future for the horses.

In more ways than one, Ramey appears to be like a man from
a darker past suddenly finding himself standing on the
internet highway, blinded by the lights.

(end of opinion)

================================================== ============
Reference Data:

The veterinarian at the horse trailer accident site was:

Dr. John Nenni
(And a second veterinarian)

Bright Vet Clinic

The person who will determine if charges are filed is:

Sally Blankenship

Dearborn County Courthouse
215 W. High St
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
sallyblankenship@justice.com

(812) 537-8884 phone
(812) 537-4295 fax - corrected from earlier post

Law Enforcement Jurisdiction:
Dearborn County Sheriff
1-800-543-1149.
301 W. High St
Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025

The investigating officer was:
Dearborn County Sheriff
Deputy Allen Holdcraft assisted Deputy William Wagner

Also responding to the scene were:
Greendale EMS
Greendale Fire Dept.
Greendale Police Dept.
Indiana Department of Transportation
Indiana State Police DOT Enforcement
Miller York Fire Dept.

Dr. Robert Strout is Executive Director, Office of Kentucky
State Veterinarian.

Rusty Ford is staff assistant to Dr. Strout.
E.S. Rusty Ford
Staff Assistant
Equine Programs Manager
502/564-3956
Rusty.ford@ky.gov

Source documents
1)http://www.channelcincinnati.com/new...72/detail.html
2)http://www.channelcincinnati.com/new...55/detail.html
3)http://www.dearborncounty.org/sherif...horsecrash.pdf
4)http://www.dearborncounty.org/sheriff/pressrelease4.htm
5)http://www.wcpo.com/news/2004/local/...rses_late.html
6)http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=5224
7)http://www.courier-journal.com/local...0917-3370.html
8)Personal email from two acquaintances
9)Email accounts from persons at the scene
10)Three telephone interviews with Dr. Nenni by John Holland
11)Telephone interview with State Motor Carrier at scene by Anne Russek
12)Dearborn Journal article by Chandra Mattingly.
13)http://www.equineprotectionnetwork.c...tion/mnlaw.htm
14)http://www.channelcincinnati.com/new...90/detail.html
15)Conversations between Deputy Holdcraft and third party.
16) http://www.kyagr.com/state_vet/ah/pr...gs/anemia2.htm
17) Letter from Rusty Ford to Gail Vacca
18) http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahps/a...e_markets.html
19) http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky...ss/9509420.htm
20) http://www.safersys.org/CSP_Order.asp (Safety report)
21) http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SafeStat/dis...dURL=/SafeStat /SafeStatMain.asp&PageN%3Dresults
22) http://www.thehorse.com/enews/9292004.html (The Horse)
23) Indiana Officer’s Standard Crash Report 04009723
24) Eyewitness interviews
25) WWW.FlemingsburgOnline.com (10/2/04)



Pertinent Law

(I am not a lawyer either!)
DOT Violation – Log Book
The driver has been charged with violations of this
requirement. Unfortunately the lack of an accurate
log book makes it difficult to recreate the route of
the truck.

There are also regulations pertaining to passengers
in such tractors that may have been violated.

Minnesota Statutes 1996

Although the accident occurred in Indiana, the owner
stated he was coming from auctions in Minnesota.
Minnesota regulates the transport of horses(13).
Both the clearance and divider provisions of the
following section may have been violated, especially
in the upper compartment. The strength of the floor
is also a possible issue in that the upper deck was
reported to have collapsed in on the horses below
(third person reports). It is not known if the floor
collapse happened before or after the trailer
overturned. Most of the survivors were from the top
compartment.

346.38 Equines
Subd. 8. Transportation. A vehicle used to transport
an equine must have a floor capable of supporting
the animal's weight safely. Floors must be of nonskid
construction or of nonskid material sufficient to
provide the animal with traction while in transport.
A minimum of 12 inches must be allowed between the
withers of the largest equine and the structure above
the animal while it is in a natural standing position.
Sturdy partitions must be provided at a minimum of
approximately every ten feet inside the vehicle.
Interior compartments of transporting vehicles must be
of smooth construction with no protruding or sharp
objects and must provide ventilation. Food and water
must be provided in sufficient quantities to minimize
stress and maintain hydration.

Kentucky Law regarding horse meat
Despite reports to the contrary, I cannot find any
Kentucky law prohibiting the slaughter of horses or
the sale of horse meat. In fact, the reference below
would seem to indicate that the horse meat can now be
sold without being marked as horse meat under Kentucky
law.

I am including this simply because of the fact that
there is wide speculation resulting from the fact that
double decker trailers are rarely used to transport
horses except to slaughter and the rodeo.

217.837Repealed, 1972.
Abstract: 217.837 Repealed, 1972. Catchline at repeal: Horse meat
not to be sold without label -Place of preparation may be regulated.

History: Repealed 1972 Ky. Acts ch. 110, sec. 1. -Created 1968 Ky.
Acts ch. 205, sec. 12.
http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/krs/217-00/837.pdf
I have not researched USDA or other Federal law that might apply.



================================================== ===============

Post Script
Below is an anonymous letter I received on 10/12/04. This letter is
included here exactly as received except that I have added “*”
for some letters to keep it post-able. I should warn that the language
is colorful. The letter was postmarked 10/9/04 from Cincinnati Ohio,
452, and had no return address. The envelope was hand printed in what
appeared to be a feminine hand, and the letter was done on a word
processor. I have attempted to duplicate the format. This person
apparently lives in the Flemingsburg area (he/she said the truck
“stopped at weigh stations all the way here”), but was probably
traveling through Cincinnati when the letter was posted.

In fact, much of what this person says agrees with the fact sheet
as it finally evolved. Apparently the article to which he refers
included many things said by others, and that were attributed or
assumed to be attributed to me. The article did include the report I
had passed on about the tractor belonging to the Fleming Packing
Company which later turned out to be untrue. There is no point in
noting the inaccuracies and omissions in this letter, although
it is interesting to note that it avoids mentioning Ramey Livestock
or Ramey Trucking. In any event this letter pretty much says it all.


Dear Mr. Holland,

I am responding to your “Letter to the Editor” about the Ramey Horse incident. I am
a dear friend of the Ramey’s. I also know what goes on around here. So I am here to clean
some sh*t up.
First, The horses hauled on the semi were not slaughter horses. They were Riding
horses. A lot of the horses cost more than $1,000. I know for a fact that killer buyers
will not pay that much. Therefore you don’t know sh*t about horses.
Secondly, the truck was not over weight. The truck came from Minnesota to
Kentucky and had stopped at weigh stations all the way here. If you want proof check
into it.
Third, When hauling horses from another state, you don’t need Coggins papers.
But you do have to call a number from the state to tell them what you are doing to
Prevent you from getting in trouble which the Rameys did.
Forth, As for the number of horses on the semi is none of your damn business.
Fifth, The veterinarian did not ask the Ramey’s which horses to put down or
kill. The vet only did what he thought was right. I guess a dumb a*s like you
would try to save the ones that had broken legs, guts hanging out, and sh*t like
that.
I can tell you don’t know the Ramey’s and there are some things you need
to know. They are very highly spoken people of Flemingsburg and anywhere they go. They
will do anything for anybody. They won’t lie about any of their horses or facts you want
to know. I won’t suggest a d*ck like you to talk to him, especially after what you put
in their local paper. Do you honestly think anybody would believe that sh*t except
you? Now I’ll go back to the facts.
A packing company did not own the tractor-trailer. The truck was hired. Incase,
you don’t know (seems like you don’t know much) there are only three packing plants

[needabreak]

(rest of John Holland's article continued - the whole thing didn't post)

. . . A packing company did not own the tractor-trailer. The truck was hired. Incase,
you don’t know (seems like you don’t know much) there are only three packing plants in
North America. One is in Texas, one in Canada, and one in Illinois. Now if you think
about it, why would the truck be going to Kentucky, when there is no plant? “Packing
house” you refer to in Flemingsburg only processes deer, beef calves, and hogs. Never
any horses.
The driver of the truck, who is a professional, did have a log book. Where are you
finding your so-called “facts” Out of Cracker Jacks?
By the way, there were no stolen horses. No one else said that except your
stupid a*s.
The horses are fine that was on the truck. They’ve been doctored and looked after
everyday. They are given grain and hay twice a day; this is just in case you, who think
you’re so intelligent on the subject, don’t know how horses are cared for.
I don’t know what this has to do with the Presidential Race but I know this is the
last thing on their mind.
In conclusion, The Ramey’s are good people and had nothing to do with the
trailer turning over. It wasn’t their fault. Have you ever heard of “accident?” Oh, I
forgot your perfect. The horses are being taken care of and not heading to a slaughter
house like you want people to believe.
These are the facts, whether you want to believe them or not. I won’t you to know
that I think you are a low down dirty sh*t head that has no clue about whats going on and
your fat a*s couldn’t find a better story than this to write about. I also know your full of
sh*t and the sh*t I wrote was the truth. What you wrote I used to wipe my a*s. I suggest
you stick to the business that happens in Virginia not Kentucky.

Sincerely,
A friend of the Ramey’s

==================================
(end of article)
=============================

[BLBGP]

Oh my....quite a letter in the post script!

[equinelaundry]

And now we know that we are indeed dealing with backward hillrats.

[Coreene]

"This here's mah sister. She's also mah wife."

[Cindeye]

Awesome job pulling all the data together!

[DillansMom]

Great job on the report. Thank you!

[stegall]

well thought out factual report vs. "profanity", "profanity".....hmmmm,such a debate.

[SteppinEasy]

If anyone is interested...the horses who were in the accident can be seen from a hiking/riding trail that adjoins the back portion of the Ramey farm. I haven't gone to see them yet myself, but a local trainer I know was out there Saturday. He reports that several of the horses look horrible, with gaping wounds and flaps of skin just hanging there. There was no obvious sign of any medical treatment (e.g. bandages, stitches, wraps, etc.) being done on any of the horses.

The trainer who saw the horses actually didn't even know about the wreck, so he thought the horses had been attacked by some wild animals. He only found out about the wreck when he went to the Ramey's neighbors to round up a posse to hunt for the animals he assumed were responsible for the "attack."

Sounds like at least some of the horses are in pretty bad shape.

[perfectionist]

I would not want a "friend" like this; one that cannot write a sentence without profanity. How does this "friend" know what someone knows about horses? Evidently this "friend" is not too sharp about horse care either.

The Rameys took on inherent risks by transporting the horses in the manner they did. So thus, it was a wreck, not an accident. (I listen to Robert P Raford (sp?) on the John Boy & Billy show and he continually mentions the difference between an accident and a wreck!)It would be like hauling your horse in a trailer that had a rotten floor; you take the risk the floor is not going to fall through and your horse drag his feet or fall through also. Likewise with a double-decker trailer; the horses evidently were loaded to make the trailer "top-heavy." Not to mention the unstability on the aluminum floor, the low ceilings, and other things we do not want to imagine in a trailer of that sort.

This response from this "friend" supports the theories ones have about the community, doesn't it? If the Rameys were so honest and dependable, why did they not be forthright about the situation? Add that response to the one from the reporter of the local paper. What do you have?

[perfectionist]

Maybe the "friend" of the Rameys can respond to this? I guess the "friend" may blame it on wild animals rather than the "accident" since all the horses were doing so well.......

[fernie fox]

SteppinEasy,you have a PM.

[ProzacPuppy]

Well, after sitting here crying over Aero's passing, the Ramey's friend's letter has been the highlight of my day.

[bryn]

Does anyone know what "letter to the editor" the Ramey friend is referring to? What letter appeared where?

[needabreak]

I looked for the letter to the editor at the last link provided in the Source/Reference list provided by Mr. Holland. However, that link needs a hyphen in it - the correct link is:

http://www.flemingsburg-online.com

On the Search box I entered "horse" but couldn't find an editorial. However, there are some really good articles about horses in the same area that the Ramey's live. Not all people treat horses the same there.

The articles written by Wanda Felice are really fun to read - she really gets to the heart of why people love horses and has an eye for details and the talent to describe what horses mean to people. On the other hand, another writer on the same online site for the Ledger-Independent, Danetta Barker, did not do a good job covering the tractor trailer accident.

I am glad I read the articles by Wanda Felice. I was starting to get a bad impression of how horses are treated in Kentucky.

At least the Wanda Felice articles showed how Kentucky individuals love horses. I hope the people charged with livestock regulations, law enforcement and medical and welfare care of animals, horses in particular, will step up soon. Are they paid to do something about these things, or are they being paid to look away?

One of the links provided by Mr. Holland seems to indicate that some record-keeping is to be done with the horses - at least by law.

==========================================

[bryn]

Steppineasy, can you please try to get some photos? If the situation is that bad, I have a contact who knows a sympathetic state trooper in the area who will go on the property. However there must be proof of neglect before law enforcement will intervene.

Be careful though. It is muzzle-loading deer season in Kentucky right now.

[perfectionist]

Many people in Kentucky care for their horses properly. However, to many others in Kentucky, horses are just "livestock" are considered to be only chattel property and are quite disposable. There are several auctions scattered throughout the state where horses are bought according to how they may "pound" out. There are also people that scour the roads of Kentucky looking for these horses to sell to the killer buyers. Many of the horses I have seen bought by such buyers are draft horses, broken-down horses (often from buggies), pets, and good serviceable horses. It may be a regional issue, but I think as in all things, there are good eggs and bad eggs.

I have seen our local Humane Society get involved in horse abuse cases and it was publicized and not kept secret. We are fortunate to live in the part of the state where there is more "openess" in the community and things are not hidden.......<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by needabreak:
I looked for the letter to the editor at the last link provided in the Source/Reference list provided by Mr. Holland. However, that link needs a hyphen in it - the correct link is:

http://www.flemingsburg-online.com

On the Search box I entered "horse" but couldn't find an editorial. However, there are some really good articles about horses in the same area that the Ramey's live. Not all people treat horses the same there.

The articles written by Wanda Felice are really fun to read - she really gets to the heart of why people love horses and has an eye for details and the talent to describe what horses mean to people. On the other hand, another writer on the same online site for the Ledger-Independent, Danetta Barker, did not do a good job covering the tractor trailer accident.

I am glad I read the articles by Wanda Felice. I was starting to get a bad impression of how horses are treated in Kentucky.

At least the Wanda Felice articles showed how Kentucky individuals love horses. I hope the people charged with livestock regulations, law enforcement and medical and welfare care of animals, horses in particular, will step up soon. Are they paid to do something about these things, or are they being paid to look away?

One of the links provided by Mr. Holland seems to indicate that some record-keeping is to be done with the horses - at least by law.

========================================== <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[perfectionist]

Here is the latest from Mr. Holland:

Goodlatte a No-Show at the Annual Polo Cup

For Immediate Release:
Salem, Virginia
9 October, 2004

The weather was overcast but beautiful as onlookers watched the incredible fusion of players and their horses competing in the annual Fall fund raising event for the Roanoke Symphony, an event that has become a rite of Fall for so many in the Valley.

But Bob Goodlatte, a regular at event, was no where to be seen this year. Had he managed an appearance, he would have been confronted with a hospitality tent sponsored by and the National Horse Protection Coalition, and staffed by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and local volunteers bent on exposing the dark world of horse slaughter and Goodlatte’s hand in blocking the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. "I think it was a great success, said Tracy Abbott of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF). We certainly had a lot of visitors and everyone was extremely supportive." There could have been no more appropriate venue for the TRF whose purpose is to assure that retired race horses find good homes. Many of the horses on the field had begun their careers as race horses.

Representative Goodlatte, Chairman of the house Agriculture Committee has been blocking the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (HR 857) in his committee despite polls showing over 75% of Virginians are in favor of the ban, and despite overwhelming bipartisan support for the bill in the House (where it has an incredible 226 cosponsors) and Senate. Goodlatte is not only ignoring his constituents, but even his own party. HR 857 was introduced by one of Goodlatte’s fellow Republicans, Representative Sweeny of New York, and both Senators Allen and Warner have indicated they would vote for the bill if it reached the Senate. In fact, the Senate version of the bill is S 2352, and it was introduced by Senator Ensign, also a Republican.

Although Goodlatte has more recently tried to obfuscate his hand in blocking the bill, he freely admitted it in June during a town hall meeting in Lexington. When asked what it would take to get him to let the bill out of his committee he said "You have to convince me and you have not done so!"

Had Representative Goodlatte attended the Polo Cup, he could not have escaped the message rising from an ever increasing number of horse lovers. Over 250 people with buttons declaring "Stop Horse Slaughter" were everywhere to be seen. Tom Durfee, a volunteer in the hospitality
tent, said "All we need to do is to keep educating the public about the issue. Americans and
Virginians do not want their horses slaughtered to feed foreigners! He [Rep. Goodlatte] needs to quit worrying about French gourmets and Texas cattlemen and start serving his constituents!"

“Mr. Goodlatte recently gave a beautiful speech describing the Oak tree as having a unique place in American history” said Anne Russek, a long term supporter of the horse protection act. “If Goodlatte had only substituted the words American Horse for the words Oak Tree, he might have understood why he is so far from the people of his district on this issue”.

For more information visit: www.horse-protection.org and www.trfinc.org
Or for local information contact:
John Holland
Team Red Horse