Two Amish Hospitalized After Wreck; Driver “Taken Into Police Custody”; Horse Runs Off (UPDATED)

Wreckage following a buggy-vehicle incident in Centre County, PA. Photo via WJAC

Details are scarce at the moment in this story out of Centre County, Pennsylvania (see update below). But we do know that two Amish people have been taken to the hospital – and one non-Amish driver into police custody – following another buggy crash.

Yesterday at around 8:30 PM, an Amish buggy carrying two passengers was struck by a motor vehicle. More from WJAC:

CENTRE COUNTY, Pa (WJAC) — Two people are in the hospital after a crash involving a vehicle and an Amish buggy Tuesday night in Liberty Township.

According to the Beech Creek-Blanchard Volunteer Fire Company, a vehicle struck the buggy around 8:30 p.m., along North Eagle Valley Road, near its intersection with Beach Street.

Officials say the two people inside of the buggy were transported to UPMC Williamsport for treatment, but the severity of their injuries is unknown.

The driver was “taken into police custody” following the accident. No reason is given for that. Not to speculate too much, but that may mean that impairment is involved.

The horse was said to have run off, and at the time of the report it was “unclear whether the horse has been located.”

For what it’s worth, a person who seems to know what she’s talking about reports that the horse has been secured: “its back leg was banged up but we’re hoping ok. it was hauled to a someone’s house for the time being.”

No further word on the people involved, but will update as more information is available. Centre County is home to four separate Amish communities, with a total Amish population of over 4,000 people. So Amish buggies are nothing unusual on the roads there.

Centre County’s Amish have seen tragedy on the roads recently. This summer there was a bad accident in the county. An Amish 18-year-old lost his life after his buggy was struck while having a wheel partially in the travel lane (something not unusual, especially on roads with a narrow shoulder).

Hopefully the two people involved here will have a better outcome, though the one currently available photo showing wreckage does not look great.

Update: Driver Charged With DUI, Resisting Arrest; Amish Victims Have “Suspected Head Trauma”. Horse Has Been Found

It appears that the driver was in fact under the influence of alcohol. More details come to us via the Centre Daily Times:

Jose E. Ortiz, 46, of Ohio, was accused of drunken driving when he hit the buggy about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday on the 1100 block of North Eagle Valley Road in Liberty Township.

An affidavit of probable cause did not detail how the crash occurred, but a trooper said the buggy and Ortiz’s 2001 Ford Mustang were heavily damaged after Ortiz struck the buggy.

The operator of the buggy and his passenger were transported by ambulance to UPMC Williamsport for suspected head trauma, police wrote. Their condition was not detailed in the affidavit and a message left with the hospital was not immediately returned.

A trooper said Ortiz was uncooperative, refused to provide his driver’s license, smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot, watery eyes. He also failed multiple standardized field sobriety tests, police wrote.

Ortiz had his blood drawn at Mount Nittany Medical Center, where police said he had to be restrained several times because he was shouting, swearing and kicking. It was not clear if Ortiz was injured in the crash.

Sounds like this is someone who should be nowhere near a steering wheel. Ortiz’s charges include: