A 12-year-old Amish girl died in a fatal accident in California, Maryland, when a pickup truck hit the horse-drawn buggy she was riding in. The girl and two other passengers who were riding in the buggy were all ejected when the impact happened. The other passengers were treated for injuries resulting from the motor vehicle accident.
The accident occurred shortly after dark, at 7:40 p.m. The Amish buggy was attempting to cross the intersection of Route 5 near Mount Wolf Road on a green light. Reportedly, the light turned red before the buggy cleared the intersection, and a Ford 150 hit the buggy. The driver of the truck said he did not see the buggy in the intersection. Police are investigating the accident. Thus far, they have found no evidence that alcohol, drugs or speed played a part in the accident.
Accidents between cars and buggies are all too common. Last summer, a 3-year-old Amish girl died when a semi-tractor trailer rear-ended her family’s buggy. The driver in that incident, a 52-year-old Illinois man, was cited for driving under the influence of drugs. In an accident in Kickapoo, Wisconsin, two Amish buggy passengers were airlifted to hospitals after a car rear-ended their buggy on U.S. Highway 14. An 11-year-old girl was killed in an accident in Congress Township, Ohio, when a truck hit their buggy as she rode home with her family from a produce auction.
A victim of a motor vehicle accident may be entitled to compensation whether or not police cite the other driver for a driving offense. Accident victims should consult with a personal injury attorney to determine whether they have a civil claim.
Sources: SoMD.com, “Truck Strikes Amish Buggy; 12-year-old Girl Dead,” Oct. 3, 2011
NewsChannel5.com, “3-year-old Dies in Horse and Buggy Crash, July 9, 2011
MapMinistry.org, “Buggy Accidents”
