Overview
- Romanch Mahajan, 18, died after being thrown from a horse-drawn carriage when the horse bolted on June 17, 2026, and investigators say the driver briefly left the carriage to take a photo.
- Family members held a 40-day memorial on Monday at Cherry Hill fountain and announced plans to file a wrongful-death claim against the City of New York.
- City Council sponsors are advancing 'Romanch's Law,' a draft that would stop renewing carriage licenses and bar Central Park operations by June 1, 2028, with a vote expected in August.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani has expressed support for the bill's goals while urging stronger, guaranteed city-funded programs to help drivers retrain and find new work.
- Carriage drivers and industry groups oppose a ban, saying the trade is regulated and that safety gaps in the park, such as secure hitching infrastructure, should be fixed instead of ending livelihoods.