Semi Smashes Buggy, Leaving Horse Dead and Amish Man Seriously Injured
An Amish man has been left with life-threatening injuries, and a horse dead after an 18-wheeler struck a buggy in Ohio’s largest Amish community. More from WKBN:
STARK COUNTY, Ohio (WJW) – A crash involving a semi-truck and a horse-drawn buggy hospitalized one man and killed a horse.
That’s according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The crash happened just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday on U.S. Route 62 in Sugar Creek Township in Stark County.
A semi-truck headed westbound on U.S. Route 62 hit a horse and buggy that was also headed westbound.
There are few other details available about the incident at this time. The crash remains under investigation.
The area where this happened is part of the greater Holmes County Amish settlement. Route 62 is a main thoroughfare through the community.
I spent a couple of days in the community last week. Besides buggies, Amish people riding (driving?) e-bikes are a constant presence on the road, at least in the more populated areas. At times I came across more of them than I did buggies.
Here’s an example of one, ridden by an Amish woman with the common bike trailer attachment used to transport shopping items or children.
These are also a big safety concern in the community, and have been involved in accidents. So if you’re traveling in this community, be aware of both buggies and the widely-present e-bikes, some of which travel at 20 mph (or more).
Reply
Watch Out! Why couldn’t you have been in the area in January I could have met you…do you come to the area often? If so stop in at Trail Farm Supply on TWP 359 outside of Berlin. I notice the buggy is almost unseen on the weekdays.
I try to get up as often as I can, but not as often as I’d like 🙂 Next trip hopefully in 2026. Do you work at Trail Farm Supply? I drove right through Trail on my way out this time.
Reply
No, the bishop I am moving in with owns it. If you come in 2026 stop in: Here is the address 5013 Township Rd 359, Millersburg, OH 44654.
First of all I really hope this man pulls through, prayers for him. Secondly, have you ever happened to come across Amish people using golf carts in this community Erik? It doesn’t seem to be really common but I have seen it 2 or 3 times over my last handful of trips there. So watch out for that too!
Reply
Hello Fellow Ohioan are you enjoying the weather we are having? To answer your question the gulf-carts aren’t legal because none of the roads in Holmes County pass the legal speed limit to be able to operate one on. The use of them is typically for elders with medical issues….this is fairly recent and they aren’t widely accepted…yet but there is an exception for people with health issues. One elderly in a different district uses one and another elderly couple has one that they take the whole family around on. That isn’t what the purpose of them were for but as always people like to push the limits. The New Order Amish have been more accepting towards this compromise and I am sure it could follow suit soon with the Old Oder Amish who allow E-bikes which is 65% of Holmes County’s Amish. I could also see this being another point of church splits.
Yes not this trip, but I seem to recall it in the past – people that might have a disability for example? I also did see someone driving a golf cart in the Geauga County, OH settlement during the recent snow I encountered there. Good note to keep an eye on these too. In Geauga there was low visibility as it was also night, though I believe he had blinking lights on the cart, IIRC.
chandlerteri65@gmail.com
Too many accidents like this! I wish the towns or states would put in roads just for horse and buggies and other Amish transportation so they don’t have to be on these heavy traffic main roads in their area. Maybe more signs needed to be posted too. It’s so terrible hearing of horse and buggy accidents!!
Semi Hits Buggy In Ohio
So, did the semi pull over or is the driver & his vehicle still at large?? I sure hope the Amishman will be alright. So unfair that people have to go through life in pain because of the uncaring nature of others. Hopefully the driver was arrested and tossed in a cell for a very long time. Just heartbreaking reading these particular posts.
Agreed, I don’t know anything about his status but I hope he gets through as well as possible. The report had few details, but there was nothing indicating that the semi driver didn’t stop though, or that he was charged with anything. I assume there was/is an investigation ongoing.