Sheriff Seeks Driver in (Another) Michigan Buggy Hit & Run
Yet another hit-and-run accident on an Amish buggy has occurred. This one was in Clare County, Michigan, an area which we cover here on the site fairly frequently. From ABC 12 News:
CLARE COUNTY, Mich. (WJRT) – Police are looking for a full-size Ford pickup truck involved in a hit-and-run crash with an Amish buggy in eastern Clare County on Monday.
The Clare County Sheriff’s Office says the Amish buggy was traveling on South Bailey Lake Avenue near Lincoln Road when a pickup truck hit and fled the scene.
Authorities say nobody was injured in the crash.
Investigators found broken vehicle parts at the scene that match a Ford F-450 or F-550 pickup truck from the 2017 to 2024 model years. The truck likely has significant damage on the front passenger side.
They also report that there were no injuries – which I assume also means the horse. So, that is good.
If you are in the area, and notice a vehicle like the one described above, call the Sheriff’s Office at 989-539-7166.
Not the first hit-and-run in Clare County
The Amish buggy hit-and-run seems to be “a thing” in Clare County. This is not the first one within county borders.
In 2020, the driver of a Pontiac sedan hit and heavily damaged an Amish buggy, then fled. As in this case, that driver left behind a piece of his vehicle which could be used in identification. Here’s what that buggy looked like:
The county has also seen a runaway buggy accident recently. Last November, an unoccupied runaway Amish buggy was hit by a truck – seriously injuring the non-Amish driver.
Clare County is home to two Amish communities (one of which has over 1,000 residents), and parts of a third.
Hit and Run
I am wondering if the driver of the vehicle could have been someone who didn’t belong in the country and thus ran. I am glad no one was hurt and hope that included the horse.
Clare County Crash
When are English drivers going to realize that a frontal crash leaves behind the evidence of headlight debris & that can thus lead to identification of the motor vehicle? Leaving the scene only makes things worse for the English person. Wonder if alcohol was a factor? Thanks for bringing us the story Erik. So glad there were no injuries.
It seems like there usually are injuries at least in these sorts of things. So this is as close to a “happy” hit-and-run as it gets I guess! Still haven’t seen any news on whether the driver was found.
Tips for safely driving through Amish Country
As a taxi driver to the Amish and a neighbor, I have a few tips for those driving through Amish country:
Never, ever pass a buggy if there’s a road or driveway on their left cause not all buggies have or use turn signals.
Don’t stay behind a buggy for longer than necessary.
Don’t just ‘creep’ past a buggy; go at a normal speed.
Pass with enough room so you don’t almost hit the horse’s head when returning to the right lane.
Pay attention to the horse’s feet. If the horse is trotting along evenly and straight, chances are, he’s pretty safe. If you see his feet doing crazy things, the driver is most likely having difficulty controlling him.