Sheriff’s Sergeant Injured by Horse

A mounted Ventura County sheriff’s sergeant patrolling an area near Lockwood Valley in search of marijuana suffered a leg injury Saturday when a horse rolled on top of him, authorities said.

Sgt. Ray Nagel, of the Sheriff’s Department east county station in Thousand Oaks, suffered an ankle injury in the 10 a.m. incident in Los Padres National Forest in far northeastern Ventura County, deputies said.

Nagel, who has been with the department more than 15 years, was in good condition after Saturday-evening surgery at Los Robles Regional Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said.

Nagel, who had been checking out a tip about a marijuana plantation, was patrolling the area when a horse carrying a volunteer fell down an embankment, deputies said. As Nagel was rescuing the volunteer, the same horse rolled on top of his leg. Nagel was airlifted to the hospital.