COLT BOLTS TRAILER ON FREEWAY : ACCIDENTS AVERTED, HORSE COAXED BACK IN.

Byline: Laurence Darmiento Daily News Staff Writer

A frisky colt nearly caused a series of accidents Friday after it bolted out of its trailer on the Golden State Freeway and roamed the traffic lanes for several minutes, authorities said.

The young horse, on its way to the Antelope Valley, broke free about noon on the freeway's northbound lanes just below the Newhall Pass, said California Highway Patrol Officer Lewis Hall.

``The driver noticed the horse was getting out of control. The way it was described to me, it kind of flipped over on its side in the trailer,'' Hall said. ``It finally busted down the door, uprighted itself and ran off when he stopped.''

The horse ran about in traffic just south of the entrance to the truck transition road to the northbound Antelope Valley Freeway, nearly hitting several vehicles, the officer said.

Several drivers pulled over, including an off-duty Los Angeles police officer experienced with horses. She managed to catch the horse and lead it to the shoulder, Hall said.

But the agitated horse was still not out of danger. Each passing truck rattled it more, prompting the off-duty officer to try to walk the horse on the shoulder to a nearby freeway access ramp, Hall said.

First using the trailer, which was being pulled by a pickup, as a buffer, and then Hall's patrol car, the officer managed to walk the horse a quarter-mile to the ramp and off the freeway, Hall said.

It then took another hour, and the help of another driver who stopped, to finally put the colt back in the trailer, Hall said.

The horse became agitated apparently because it was unfamiliar with the small trailer, which had room for two animals. The driver, who owned the horse, was not cited.

``It wasn't a situation where it was under the driver's control. It could have been real hairy, but it all worked out OK,'' Hall said.