A truck struck a horse Tuesday on Bellport Avenue in Medford, according to authorities.

"Unfortunately, somehow, this horse got spooked, ran out and jumped the fence," says Detective Domenic Mazzone, of the Suffolk SPCA.

News 12 is told the horse had a serious fracture to its right front leg and that officers had to keep it from trying to get up and walk on the injured leg. After an evaluation, the SPCA veterinarian had to euthanize it.

The driver involved was unharmed.

Brian Georgiades owns the Suffolk Equestrian Academy, a stable near where the incident happened. He says he brought emergency meds out to help the horse and that there should be more horse crossing signs.

Mazzone says horses occasionally get out of their stables and that drivers in the area should be aware.