Jeep plows into Amish buggy near Berne — father airlifted, multiple children

BERNE, Indiana — A late-night collision on State Road 218 turned a peaceful rural road into a chaotic emergency scene after a Jeep struck a horse-drawn Amish buggy, throwing nearly everyone out of the vehicle and sending multiple people to hospitals. First responders were called to the crash at about 11:20 p.m. on October 7; when they arrived they found a badly damaged buggy scattered across the pavement and a Jeep in a ditch.

The buggy was carrying nine people at the time of the crash. Local officials say a total of seven people from the buggy were injured and taken for medical care; reports describe six of those occupants as juveniles, though some local accounts list slightly different age breakdowns. The buggy’s driver, 32-year-old Ruben L.M. Schwartz of Berne, was airlifted to Lutheran Hospital. Joseph L.M. Schwartz, 20, and five juvenile passengers were transported by ambulance to Parkview Hospital. Two other passengers — Saraetta L. Schwartz, 32, and a 2-year-old — declined treatment at the scene.

Adams County Sheriff Dan Mawhorr told reporters the Jeep — driven by 33-year-old Bradley J. Ocilka of Burlington, Kentucky — struck the slower-moving buggy from behind while traveling eastbound on SR 218. Ocilka was taken to the hospital for a legal blood draw but declined other medical attention at the scene. At the time of reporting no charges had been filed while the crash remains under investigation.

Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including Adams County EMS, Berne and Geneva police departments, the Berne Fire Department, Wells and Jay County EMS, Indiana State Police, and Lutheran Hospital’s Flight Team. Officials described the scene as chaotic, with first responders working quickly to provide medical treatment and to secure the site.

Related Posts

Why Your Nail Clipper Has That Tiny Hole—And How It Can Make Life Easier

Have you ever noticed the small circular hole on your nail clipper and wondered why it’s there? It might seem like a meaningless detail, but that tiny…

She Insulted My Body at Dinner — So I Gave Her a Gift That Made Her Rethink Everything

At a family dinner, my MIL served everyone lasagna, then set a bowl of lettuce in front of me and said, “You have a pretty face. It’s…

My Husband Demanded a Paternity Test, and the Results Left Us Both in Shock

A woman shared her dramatic story that couldn’t leave anyone indifferent. After her daughter was born, the new mom couldn’t help but notice that the baby looked…

The Little Boy In This Photo Grew Up To Be One Of America’s Most Evil Men

The little boy in this photograph grew up to be one of the most evil men in the world. Born on February 29, 1960, in El Paso,…

Melania Mocked Online Over This 2-Word Greeting She Made To US Navy Sailors

First Lady Melania Trump turned heads this weekend after enthusiastically opening her speech with a Navy battle cry during the U.S. Navy’s 250th Anniversary Celebration in Norfolk,…

Four Members of Politician’s Family Killed in Tragedy

The National Transportation Safety Board has begun examining the circumstances surrounding the tragedy that claimed multiple lives. On Wednesday evening, October 22, Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren and…