Teen Amish Girl Dies In Ohio Crash; Alcohol Likely A Factor
From the Akron Beacon Journal:
An Amish horse and buggy driver was killed after a crash with a pickup truck Thursday morning.
Edna Keim, a 17-year-old girl from Homerville, died in the crash.
According to a news release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash happened on state Route 301, north of U.S. Route 224 in Homer Township. The Medina Post is investigating the crash.
A 2013 Ford F-150 was heading north on Route 301 when it struck an Amish horse and buggy in the rear, according to the news release. The crash happened at about 7:15 a.m.
Keim, the driver of the horse and buggy, was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General, where she later died.
The truck was driven by a 26-year-old male. The crash is under investigation, but “According to the patrol, alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash.”
Homerville is in the large Swartzentruber Amish settlement lying a short drive from the Holmes/Wayne County community. It’s the community where Amish – those here don’t use the SMV triangle – several years ago tried an unusual innovation to improve buggy visibility, variations of which I later came across in other Swartzentruber settlements. Prior to this, an Amishman in the community had been in a near-unbelievable total of 14 buggy accidents in his 54 years on the planet.
Sadly for her family and community, Edna Keim only got 17 years on the planet. And it’s possible that came down to someone’s decision to drive while impaired. With alcohol involved, it matters even less what particular attention-getting implement you attach to the back of your slow-moving buggy. Condolences to Edna’s family.
Respect for the Amish
The incident involving Edna Keim is just another all too frequent occurrence these days of an impaired driver crashing into an Amish buggy and killing someone. Edna was just starting her life but it was taken away from her by someone with no respect for her or himself. A real tragedy.
What is most disconcerting about this incident is how frequent they have become. It has happened in many Amish communities in the US in the past year. I was recently in Lancaster PA and noticed how impatient drivers are with the Amish buggies. Honking, speeding by, etc. Very disrespectful. In PA, those people should remember that the Amish were there first and, unlike them, they were invited.
People need to slow down and be more respectful of the Amish and their chosen lifestyle. The driver of the vehicle in the Edna Keim incident will likely get 20 years in prison for blatant stupidity. And Edna will never see her family again because of him.
comment
whenever im in an amish community specifically spring city pa to bird-in-hand pa and the wood cty community in wi i always drive under the speed limit if i see a buggy in the way i put the flashers on and drive down the middle of road slower then the buggy till i see i have clearance to pass them now i understand some people dont give a hoot about amish people but i do see some of my earlier posts here
rules of the road
Here in the Mohawk Valley Settlement, NY, I often see Amish carriage drivers oblivious to the road conditions around them.
A fatal accident involving alcohol is heartbreaking.
But the drivers of these carriages are Often at fault as well. Refusing to use reflective items due to “religious beliefs” is nothing but ignorance and should be outlawed.
Elementary school children driving makeshift carriages with ponys should be illegal as well. These children’s lives are being put at risk. The children are sent off to school in
These vehicles long before they have any idea about rules of
The road!
Just another example of the basic ignorance of the Amish culture.
Huntsburg Ohio
Thank you for your comment Janice agree with u 100% The Amish drive here drunk. Pray for the driver too .
So . . . WHEN and HOW did she die ?
The AKRON BEACON-JOURNAL has a remarkably loose way with words.
“An Amish horse and buggy driver WAS KILLED AFTER a crash with a pickup truck Thursday morning.”
OK. First the crash. Then something else killed her, later on ? Great lead-in line ! I’m interested now.
“Edna Keim, a 17-year-old girl from Homerville, died in the crash.”
Oh. She died at the scene. No one came along and, uhm, I dunno, “put her out of her misery”. Okay.
“Keim, the driver of the horse and buggy, was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General, where SHE LATER DIED.”
Wait a minute ! She didn’t die “in the crash” ! She died at a hospital, WHERE SHE WAS KILLED ! ! ! By rogue doctors and nurses !
Only one thing is sure : Edna is gone, and that is tragic. What happenedf and where . . . you can;t learn that from the BEACON-JOURNAL.
Edna Keim
Edna’s parents were part of the group in the “Lodi Community” that broke away from the Swartzentruber Amish a few years ago. They had an orange triangle and blinkers on their buggy for a while. (Usually still a blinker) After a year of struggling to adapt to some of the changes the new group wanted to adopt; The older sister left the faith, and the father was eventually silenced as a minister in the church, and Edna was left disheartened, and wished her family would follow Susan. The parents are not members of a church currently, and need a lot of prayers, They are very nice people, and did not disown Susan for her decision. Pray for Joe and Anna Keim and their family.
Praying
Will certainly be praying for all involved.
Sympathy Cards
Where could sympathy cards be sent?
Sympathy cards.
Hi Emily.
Here is their mailing address..
Joe L. Keim. 9946 Camp Rd. Homerville, Ohio. 44235. We are going to funeral services today.