This afternoon at approximately 3:34 PM, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Polk Fire Department and EMS responded to the scene of a vehicle rollover crash involving a Amish buggy on Ashland County Road 620 just west of Township Road 251.
According to reports, 23-year-old Bryce Rush of West Salem, Ohio was driving eastbound on Ashland County Road 620 in a 2010 Ford Fusion when he collided with the rear left side of an Amish buggy. The buggy was also traveling eastbound and was driven by 25-year-old Joe Keim of Homerville, Ohio.
After impact, Mr. Rush lost control of the Ford Fusion, which veered off the left side of the road and overturned in a ditch. Members of the Polk Fire Department had to extricate Mr. Rush from the vehicle due to its precarious position.
The impact caused the top portion of the Buggy to detach, scattering debris along the roadside. The horse fled approximately 1.5 miles to the intersection of County Road 251 and County Road 500, where it ran off the road and became entangled in a fence while attempting to flee, though was otherwise unharmed according to the Buggy's owner.
Fortunately, neither driver reported any injuries from the collision.
Mr. Rush was cited for failure to maintain an assured clear distance ahead. Mr. Keim was cited for not having the required flashing yellow light on the Amish buggy, per state law.
The incident remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
This was in broad daylight with the sun shining, the Amish man should not have been cited.
Why do Amish need lights during daytime and non-Amish do not?