Amish 4-Month-Old Hospitalized After Buggy Totaled in Ohio Crash
A four-month-old infant was ejected along with its parents in a buggy wreck February 10th in Ashland County, Ohio. Looking at the photos, the buggy can be described as pretty well destroyed. The infant was transported to hospital; the parents suffered only minor injuries.
Ashland County Pictures provides reporting and images from the scene:
ASHLAND COUNTY, Ohio — The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, along with Polk/Jackson EMS, responded to a car versus Amish buggy crash on U.S. Route 42 at approximately 9:30 a.m. this morning.
According to the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Dennis Smith, 62, of Ashland, was driving a 2013 maroon Volkswagen southbound on U.S. Route 42 just north of Township Road 133 when his vehicle struck an Amish buggy that was also traveling southbound.
The impact ejected all three occupants of the buggy: John Stutzman, 22; his wife, Cevilla Stutzman, 26; and their 4-month-old child.
John and Cevilla Stutzman reportedly sustained minor injuries. Their infant child was transported by Polk/Jackson EMS to Samaritan Hospital.
The extent of the infant’s injuries was unknown at the time of release.
Let’s hope the baby’s injuries are of the same severity as its parents, minor. As far as the horse, it was injured but is expected to be alright, after suffering cuts and a leg injury. The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
I hesitate to call accident photos “great”, but from what I can see Ashland County Pictures really does a good job documenting local stories like this.
Their photos bring home the devastating effects visited upon horse-drawn travel when it’s struck at high speeds by motor vehicles weighing thousands of pounds. Those are images you hope linger in people’s heads when they head out on the roads in Amish Country. Check out the rest at the link above.
Ashland County is home to several Amish settlements. Based on the photos and location this was likely involving someone from the Swartzentruber Amish “Lodi” community. Let’s hope the baby is okay and everyone recovers fully and quickly.
Update: Infant Injuries Only Minor
The Ashland Source has further details. First, on the wreck circumstances:
[Sgt. Matt] Neff described the specific area of U.S. 42 where the incident occurred as “very straight,” with no obstructions or hills.
The driver has ben cited:
Smith was uninjured. The 62-year-old was cited for assured clear distance ahead.
And finally, what sounds like good news on the infant’s condition:
The collision caused injuries to the horse pulling the buggy and minor injuries to the buggy’s three occupants, John Stutzman, 22, Cevilla Stutzman, 26, and their 4-month-old child, Neff said.
The infant has been grouped with the parents as having only “minor injuries” despite the hospitalization. As to the horse, other Amish reportedly came to take care of it, which is about what you’d expect in this type of situation.
Amish Buggy Struck; 3 Ejected.
Sounds like the infant was transported to hospital out “an abundance of caution” ?? (not that that’s an official thing) As for the driver . . . “Assured Clear Distance Ahead”?? (huh?) I’m afraid I don’t understand the citation he received. Could somebody please translate?? Is that a fancy way of saying, ‘Smith was driving too close.’ ?? Thanks Erik for bringing us this story.
Crashed buggy value
Wow, I remember my dad driving home from a mud sale, and an
Amish buggy flying off the trailer, due to its owner using baling string to tie it down. That was at highway speed, and it was in far better shape than this wreck. You can see it was impacted on the rear wheel.
My question is..will the car drivers insurance pay for the buggy? Who does the appraisal? I also assume the babies care will be paid for by the car drivers insurance, even though most states have a no fault clause that lets the owner of each vehicle pay their own initial medical costs…correct me if I’m wrong.