A Phil Campbell man was airlifted to Huntsville Hospital after the car he was driving collided with a horse on Alabama 24 early Tuesday morning, officials said.

Authorities with the State Trooper Quad-Cities Post said Barry Rhea, 47, of Phil Campbell was flown to Huntsville Hospital after the car he was driving hit a horse near Tharptown around 5 a.m. Tuesday.

Huntsville Hospital officials said Rhea was in serious condition when he was flown in.

Hospital officials said Rhea was evaluated in the emergency room then moved to surgical intensive care as of 12 p.m. Tuesday.

Tharptown Volunteer Fire Department member Ray Hill was one of the first to arrive at the scene and said the horse was laying dead in the middle of the road while Rhea’s 1994 white Honda Accord was off in the median.

“It tore the top completely off of that car,” Hill said. “The car was just all to pieces.”

Hill said it appeared the car was traveling east towards the Franklin/Lawrence County line and speculated that the cause could be contributed to it still being dark outside.

“It was still dark and I don’t think there was any way he could have dodged the mare standing in the middle of the road,” he said.

State Troopers are still investigating the accident.