DARLINGTON, Wis. -- One person was killed and 11 others were hurt after a collision between a horse-drawn buggy and a motorcycle occurred in southern Wisconsin on Sunday.
Three Amish children were taken to a Madison hospital following the crash between their buggy and the motorcycle in rural Lafayette County. Eight other people in the buggy suffered injuries that weren't life-threatening.
Sunday's crash left the 21-year-old motorcycle rider dead.
Deputies said that the motorcyclist missed a curve on Highway F and crossed the center line at about 6 p.m. near the entrance to Yellowstone Lake State Park between Darlington and Blanchardville.
Officials said that the King family of rural Darlington and the Miller family of Fennimore -- 11 people total -- were hurt in the crash. Five members of the King family and three members of the Miller family were all transported to area hospitals.
In total, four adults and seven children in the buggy were injured in the crash.
Lafayette County Sheriff Scott Pedley said that the victims were headed to church at the time of the collision.
"These folks were at church. They were returning to their homes from church. In this case, a family from Fennimore -- the Millers -- (was) riding with the kings," he said.
The four adults and four of the children were taken to hospitals, including a 7-year-old who was flown by MedFlight to a Madison hospital for treatment of severe injuries. A 12-year-old who was transported to Lafayette Memorial Hospital in Darlington was later also taken by MedFlight to a Madison hospital.
"Everyone in the buggy -- all 11 occupants -- were ejected, and most injured, some severely," Pedley said.
Pedley said that he didn't have details on the children's injuries but said they were "severe." The two boys are 12 and 7 years old, and the girl is 4-months-old.
Relatives said that the three members of the Miller family have since been released from the hospital. The five members from the King family remain at University of Wisconsin Hospital.
The motorcycle driver, Joseph Hendrickson, of Blue Mounds, was pronounced dead at the scene. He wasn't wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
One of the two horses pulling the buggy had to be destroyed.
The sheriff said that crashes between buggies and motor vehicles are becoming more frequent as the Amish population rises, but said the main factor is the hilly terrain that limits driver vision.
The sheriff's department said that although the crash is still under investigation, they believe speed was a big factor.
The area of Lafayette County where the crash occurred is heavily populated by the Amish community.
link to article:
http://www.channel3000.com/news/17292802/detail.html?rss=c3k&psp=newsThis was about 100mi west of Milwaukee. 105th riders be careful...
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Topic: Another Amish Buggy-Motorcycle Crash (Read 763 times)