Amish man killed in New York car accident

A man is tragically dead after a vehicle reportedly struck the Amish buggy he was operating in Cautauqua County, according to local sources. New York police are still investigating the unusual car accident that claimed the life of a man in his late 40s on the afternoon of Sept. 22. So far, they have not filed charges against the driver involved in the crash.

The accident report states that around 4:56 p.m. the man was operating an Amish buggy with at least four other occupants. At this point, the buggy was struck by a car driven by a local woman. The force of the impact killed the buggy operator, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other four occupants of the buggy were rushed to local hospitals for treatment of injuries that were not described in the report. There is no word on the condition of the driver of the car. Police have not filed charges against her yet but are still investigating the reason for the collision. They believe the woman may have fallen asleep at the wheel just before the crash took place.

If New York police are successful in documenting that the woman’s fatigue was a contributing factor to the car accident, she could face formal charges. Separately, the family of the deceased man as well as the injured occupants may wish to pursue monetary claims in a civil court setting. Personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits do not require that criminal charges but filed, but often on police evidence to prove the driver was materially responsible for the crash.

Source: buffalonews.com, “Panama man fatally injured in Amish buggy accident“, Matt Gryta, Sept. 22, 2016