An Oklahoma man accused of animal cruelty in connection with the transport of horses in October has been acquitted of the charges against him.

On Oct. 31, 2010, John Caldwell of Wetumka, Okla., was hauling 15 horses from Colorado to Oklahoma when fellow motorists traveling on Interstate Highway 70 in Salina, Kan., alerted him that some of horses inside the trailer had fallen. Caldwell subsequently pulled off the road into a truck stop to check on the animals and discovered two horses down inside the vehicle. One had sustained fresh wounds from the fall and was bleeding from the mouth. Another was injured by other horses after it had fallen inside the trailer.

Both animals were euthanized by a veterinarian called to the scene. The remaining horses were transported to Oklahoma the following day.

Caldwell was later charged with one count each of misdemeanor cruelty to animals and one count of failing to meet animal care requirements