A 63-year-old car driver hit a horse-drawn Amish carriage leaving six children injured near Morley in Michigan, according to the Mecosta County Sheriff’s office.
The accident happened just after 10 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, on 5 Mile Road near 165th Avenue in Deerfield Township, WZZM-TV reported.
6 children injured in Mecosta County buggy crash https://t.co/s3WBwmKeTJ
— 13 On Your Side (@wzzm13) July 4, 2019
The buggy was transporting eight people, six of whom were injured. All of the victims were children ranging from 1 to 12.
A 10-year-old girl needed to be airlifted to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in critical condition. A one-year-old boy, a 4-year-old girl, and a 6-year-old girl had to be treated for minor injuries at Spectrum Health in Big Rapids, according to Mecosta County Police.
Later, Michigan Live reported, all injured children were treated at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Five were said to be in fair condition, except for the ten-year-old girl, whose condition is still critical.
A Michigan girl is fighting for her life after a crash today between an Amish horse-drawn buggy and a car. https://t.co/WiKKv59W7G
— WSBT (@WSBT) July 4, 2019
Many people took to social media to express their concern for those hurt in the accident. A Facebook user going by the name of Danny Bean commented on a post by the Daily News covering the event:
“It’s a tragedy that this happens but there should also be responsibility on the Amish as much as an insured registered driver maybe we should look at lanes off to the side of the road might solve this problem if they would simply move over Our roads are designed for rubber tires, not steel wheels.”
Six children injured when Amish buggy hit by car https://t.co/ejSdVLy4Nl
— Marco Bulnes (@MayanBulnes) July 4, 2019
The vehicle was driven by a 63-year-old man from Cedar Springs, who was not injured. Police say there was no alcohol involved, but the case is still under investigation.
The identities of the victims were not released, and neither were the two inhabitants of the buggy who were not injured.
‘Had Too Many’: Man Allegedly Kills Three Amish Children
In a similar incident less than a month ago, a man allegedly struck an Amish horse-drawn carriage in Michigan, killing three children, at around 6 p.m. on June 7 in Algansee Township in Branch County, WOOD-TV reported.
The driver, 21-year-old Tyler Jackson Frye, was charged with three counts of operating under the influence causing death, one count of felony firearm possession, and two counts of operating under the influence causing serious injury, according to the report.
According to The Detroit Free Press, a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old died at the scene of the crash. A 4-year-old was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Another young child and a woman in the carriage remained hospitalized, State Trooper Seth Reed told the Free Press.
Documents from the Branch County District Court stated that Frye told police that he drank six beers that day before the crash. He said he couldn’t stop as he was passing over a hill before hitting the carriage, WOOD-TV reported.
The documents also said that Frye admitted to rear-ending the carriage, and when he was asked about taking a sobriety test, he refused.
“What’s the point? I have had too many,” he reportedly told the police.
