A quiet evening in Berne, Indiana turned tragic when
a Jeep slammed into an Amish buggy on State Road 218
, leaving seven people injured — most of them children.
The violent crash happened around 11:20 p.m.,
scattering debris and passengers across the dark rural road.
First responders found the buggy destroyed and the Jeep resting in a nearby ditch.
Authorities confirmed the buggy carried nine passengers, including six juveniles. Ruben L.M
. Schwartz, 32, was airlifted in critical condition, while Joseph L.M.
Schwartz, 20, and five children were rushed by ambulance
to Parkview Hospital. Two others —
Saraetta L. Schwartz, 32, and a 2-year-old —
declined treatment at the scene. The Jeep’s driver, Bradley
J. Ocilka, 33, of Kentucky, was subjected to a legal blood draw as part of the investigation
. Sheriff Dan Mawhorr said the Jeep struck
the buggy from behind, and while no charges have been filed yet,
the crash remains under investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies.
