‘Critically Endangered’ Horse ‘Killed on Impact’ on Beach After Being Struck by an Allegedly Intoxicated SUV Driver

A nonprofit is remembering a “very special young horse” who authorities said was fatally struck by an impaired SUV driver on a North Carolina beach.

On Saturday, June 14, around 12 a.m. local time, the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to a call about a “collision” between a vehicle and a horse at the county’s milepost 19 checkpoint.

The horse was “killed on impact” when a 26-year-old driver, Shannon Seamster, struck the animal with her Chevrolet Tahoe, the CCSO wrote on Facebook. Seamster’s vehicle was then towed, and she was charged with DWI and issued a $2,500 secured bond, per the office.

The CCSO then notified the Corolla Wild Horse Fund (CWHF) nonprofit, which posted a tribute to the 5-year-old horse on June 14.

A spokesperson for the CCSO did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional information on Sunday, June 15.

The driver faces a misdemeanor charge and was later released from the Currituck Detention Center after posting bond, according to local journalist Sam Walker’s Patreon.

The horse has since been identified as Alexander, a 5-year-old stallion, who the CWHF wrote was “hit and killed on the beach.”

The nonprofit, which frequently posts photos of horses walking around a local beach in North Carolina, shared three images of Alexander by the water as it posted a tribute. “At this time, we do not have any additional details to share about the nature of the collision or the driver; that is in the hands of law enforcement,” the CWHF wrote. “We want to be extremely careful not to speculate or spread misinformation.”

“What we can say for sure right now is that this is a tremendous loss for the herd and for those of us who are close to these horses and work so hard to protect them,” the organization added. “Alex was a very special young horse, and a lot of extra effort went into keeping him wild and free.”

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Per the nonprofit, Alexander survived his first two years of life “despite some extraordinary challenges” and eventually “grew up into a beautiful young stallion” with “a bright future ahead of him.”

The horse was also part of a “critically endangered” population. The mission of the CWHF is “to protect, conserve, and responsibly manage” the herd of Corolla wild horses on the northernmost Currituck Outer Banks, and to “promote the continued preservation of [the] land as a permanent sanctuary” for the horses, per its website.

“He was the last of his mother’s offspring and we had high hopes that he would carry on the family line,” the nonprofit wrote. “Alex’s genetics can never be replaced, and in a critically endangered population that is a devastating blow.”

The horse fund encouraged locals to “let this tragedy serve as a reminder to be extremely cautious when driving on the 4×4.”

“Be aware of your surroundings and drive slowly and carefully — especially at night,” the group added.