A quiet night in Berne, Indiana, turned tragic when a Jeep hit a horse-drawn Amish buggy on State Road 218. The impact left the buggy “shattered across the roadway” and the Jeep in a ditch. Nine people were inside the buggy when it was struck.
Seven passengers were injured, including six children. The driver, 32-year-old Ruben L.M. Schwartz, was airlifted to Lutheran Hospital, while 20-year-old Joseph L.M. Schwartz and five minors were taken by ambulance to Parkview Hospital. Two others — a 2-year-old and 32-year-old Saraetta L. Schwartz — declined treatment.
Sheriff Dan Mawhorr said the buggy was “struck from behind by a Jeep traveling eastbound,” driven by 33-year-old Bradley J. Ocilka of Kentucky. Ocilka was taken for a legal blood draw but refused medical care.
No charges have been filed yet, and authorities say the investigation is ongoing.
Emergency crews from several counties responded, calling the scene “swift and complex” due to the number of victims and debris. The tight-knit Amish community is mourning deeply, and local residents are offering support to help the families recover.
