Amish Woman Killed, Toddler And Teen Airlifted After Pickup Rear-Ends Buggy On Ohio Highway
An Amish woman was killed and two passengers in her buggy were flown to a Cincinnati hospital after a pickup truck struck the buggy from behind in Highland County, Ohio on Thursday morning.
The crash occurred just after 8:30 AM on U.S. Route 50 in Paint Township. From the Wilmington News Journal:
According to a preliminary investigation, a horse-drawn carriage operated by Melinda Coblentz, 49, of Greenfield, was traveling southwest on U.S. 50 when it was struck in the rear by a GMC Sonoma driven by Heath Snyder, 31, of Hillsboro.
Melinda Coblentz was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries sustained in the collision.
Two passengers in the carriage — Barbara Coblentz, 17, and Mirian Miller, 2, both of Greenfield — suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Both were transported by medical helicopter to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center for treatment.
The teenage passenger shares a surname with the woman who died. So there’s a decent chance they are related.
These crashes are so tragic. They were all sitting in the same, largely unprotected buggy. One dies on the scene, while two others are injured but in all likelihood will survive.
It seems arbitrary to a lot of us, but the Amish would likely say that it is according to God’s plan.
The pickup driver was not injured. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating.
Highland County is home to three Amish settlements. A reader tells me this one occurred in the area of either the Hillsboro community, the county’s largest settlement (over 800 people), or the smaller one, described as in the area of Hillsboro and Marshall.
A Second Ohio Buggy Was Rear-Ended The Day Before
Another wreck happened in another small Ohio Amish community a day earlier. A van rear-ended a buggy in Logan County, Ohio on Wednesday morning. From Peak of Ohio:
According to the report, a 2021 Ford Transit van operated by 49-year-old Jeremy Meadows, of Eaton, was traveling westbound in the 8500 block of State Route 47 when it rear-ended a horse and buggy.
The buggy was driven by 34-year-old Henry Wagler of DeGraff. A 5-year-old boy was also riding in the buggy.
Wagler and the boy were transported to hospital “for possible injuries.” The driver was cited for assured clear distance ahead, the Ohio violation for following without room to stop.
Logan County is home to two Amish settlements. This happened in the DeGraff settlement, where a fatal buggy accident occurred in May.
Lanes just for Amish buggy’s
Amish pay taxes..then why can’t the government in those areas where the Amish live and work make buggy lanes for them? We have bicycle lanes..why not wide Amish buggy lanes????