A woman hit a deer and fled: what happened to the village mascot Borys

In the evening of 23 March 2026 (around 19:15) in the Rivne region, in the settlement of Zarichne on Central Street a deer, which locals call Borys, was hit by a car. The collision was reported to the police by a 57-year-old resident of the settlement, who saw an unknown car hit the animal and drive away from the scene.

Later the authorities established that a 28-year-old local resident was involved in the accident; she was driving a Mercedes with its headlights off. The damaged car was found near her house. The driver herself, according to the police, was sober and explained her flight by saying she was frightened. Three administrative reports were drawn up against her: for causing a traffic accident, driving without an insurance policy, and leaving the scene of the accident.

But for the residents of Zarichne this is not just a story about a road incident. Borys has long become a living symbol of the settlement: for about six years he has freely walked the streets, approached people, appeared near shops, rested by the post office and has long turned into a local celebrity and social media star. Most often videos with him were posted by Iryna Tokmina, to whose yard the animal comes to enjoy treats. The animal even has its own channel on TikTok. That is why the news about the collision caused such an outcry.

The story of this deer began after he was brought to the local forestry enterprise by Ruslan Khrystiuk. After a wolf attacked the enclosure, the animals were released into the wild, but Borys later returned to people and effectively became part of community life. Locals feed him apples and bananas, although the animal sometimes causes damage, for example by nibbling flowers. Despite this, no one wants to evict the deer from the settlement.

After the accident the animal sustained injuries; however, according to official police information, its life is not in danger — the deer is under the supervision of a game warden. At first they considered transporting it to Kyiv, but later decided against the trip so as not to worsen the animal’s condition. Instead, examinations — including an ultrasound and an X-ray — were decided to be carried out on site, to which specialists from the “Home of Rescued Animals” have already departed.

But according to Zarichne resident Iryna Tokmina, Borys has lost a hind leg and is now in very serious condition.

This story hit people no less than it hit Borys. Because when what ends up under the wheels is not just a wild animal but a living emblem of the community, it is no longer only about violations of traffic rules. It is about indifference, fleeing responsibility, and about how one evening drive without headlights on can shake an entire settlement.

Earlier we wrote:

• Driver ran over a pet dog on the sidewalk in Korabelnyi: who is to blame?
• A Labrador was shot in a forest near Mykolaiv during a walk
• From the street – to embrace: Mykolaiv held a parade of rescued dogs
• A furry fair in Mykolaiv: find your fluffy friend!
• For the first time in the history of the Mykolaiv Zoo, a baby kangaroo was hand-reared