State-Journal.com - UPDATE: Vet dies after golf cart accident

Dr. Caroline Bevins-Taylor

Friends, family and colleagues are mourning a Frankfort veterinarian who died at University of Kentucky's Chandler Hospital after breaking her leg in an accident at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Dr. Caroline Bevins-Taylor, 46, broke her leg Friday when her golf cart, which was being loaded onto a trailer, crushed her leg, pinning her against her car, police reports said.

Medics treated Bevins-Taylor at the scene before she was taken to the UK hospital where she underwent surgery and died under anesthesia from a blood clot in her lung, friends said.

According to police reports, Kentucky Horse Park Police Department Capt. Roy N. Foster responded to a call at Barn 10 at about 5 p.m.

Robert A. Summers was backing Bevins-Taylor's EZ-GO golf cart onto a trailer attached to her car and the accelerator stuck, police reports said.

Reports said the cart pinned her right leg against the rear of her car. Bevins-Taylor was taken to UK at 5:20 p.m., police reports said.

Dr. Gina Yeargan, who practiced veterinary medicine with Bevins-Taylor at Bevins Animal Hospital, said she was "blond sunshine coming in rain."

"I want to honor her and I want to do her proud," Yeargan said in an emotional interview with The State Journal.

Yeargan displayed photos of Bevins-Taylor taken recently by a photographer to announce her engagement to Louisville internal medicine specialist Dr. James Bosler.

"I know Jim's feeling pretty lost," Yeargan said.

Yeargan said she and Bevins-Taylor, who lived in Indian Hills, had known one another since they began vet school at Auburn University in 1983, graduating together in 1987.

"She was such a vivacious person," Yeargan said. "It's hard to believe that she's the one gone."

Bevins-Taylor lived an active life, jogging with her Border Collie, Sarah, and riding her Thoroughbred, Summer Tan, Yeargan said.

According to Kentucky Horse Park officials, Bevins-Taylor was competing in a show-ring hunter competition at the park Saturday when she was injured.

"She won lots of competitions," Yeargan said of the friend and colleague she referred to as a "firebrand," as she fought back tears.

Yeargan described Bevins-Taylor as a confident leader who was tough and had a big heart, traveling to New Orleans in the wake of hurricane Katrina to aid in relief for animals.

"She was a force of nature," Yeargan said.

Bevins-Taylor brought together her love for animals and for people in her veterinary practice, Yeargan said.

"You have to love animals but love people too, and work to strengthen that bond," Yeargan said. "She was hard to keep up with."

Yeargan said Bevins-Taylor was a natural leader, joking when asked which name or title she wished to be referred, saying she wanted to be called "O Captain, my captain."

"She was the captain," Yeargan said.

Pharmaceutical representatives calling on the clinic said they pictured Bevins-Taylor as the quintessential blond in a red sports car, hair waving in the breeze, Yeargan said.

"I'm going to miss her, that's all I know," she said.

Yeargan said she and Bevins-Taylor's brother, Steve Crawford, will continue to run the veterinary practice.

"But I don't plan to fill her shoes," Yeargan said. "I can't."

14.	Posted by maryb60 August 4, 2008
	Caroline Taylor-Bevins was a person many of us could say you either loved her or hated her and sometimes both. I worked for her for two and half years and we were family and we still are. I still stopped and I contiue to use the clinic 8 years later. I would like to share with few outside our work family knew. Caroline wanted to start a prayer group day. We started one day a week with bible reading spoke about God's word, how it applied to our lives and talked about Christ's saving grace. We had prayer request. Often if there was sick animal in clinic they too were lifted to Lord for His healing power. Caroline Taylor-Bevins knew Christ and ask her today where she would like to be? I will say with no hesitation and all the promises of horses, blue ribbons, her family or "our family" she say with that famous sparkle in her eye " I love you guys but you know I am with my Savior, my Dad and there is garden here like you wouldn't believe." (One that I hope I don't have weed when I get there) I to mistook her focus for hardness, her intelligence as arrogance and guardedness as avoidance. But one thing I learned about her quickly no matter the circumstance, she loved and cared about those around her, she took care us, her family and those who came to that clinic, with all she had in her. It was great to know she still hung on to the title "Yes, Captain O Captain" It was like yesterday when I said that to her. Trust me she loved it! So don't be so quick judge, point fingers or even think you know the depths of this astounding woman. I have seen her take animals at the brink of death, work and research until she diagnosed the problem. More times than none there are people who have their pets today because of her determination and skill. "Caroline if you see me at the fence of Glory, don't you forget wave!" I love you my sister in Christ Jesus! thank you for all you've done for me by just being Caroline and I will see again!

12.	Posted by JenSingKY August 4, 2008
	To itsmeisityoutoo1: My mother has worked with Caroline for 12 years and whether you have dealt with her on a "bad" day or not, that is no reason to bad-mouth someone that has passed. Remember what our mothers taught us - do not speak ill of the dead. Caroline had a brash personality and spoke about things as up-front as anyone could. She was a great diagnostician and never sugar-coated anything - everything was in terms that everyone could easily understand. She was a vivacious soul and was always doing something - had her hands in everything. As stated above, my mother has worked with Caroline for 12 years and NEVER in the entire time of practice has Dr. Bevins-Taylor done ANYTHING remotely like the "heart punch" that you said she did while working at the Humane Society. It is sad that while others are grieving the loss of this wonderful person, you are falsely accusing her of being cruel to animals. I will miss Caroline and I hope that she is up there smiling down on all of us and taking care of the animals in Heaven.