BERNE, Indiana — What began as a calm Sunday evening in the heart of Adams County turned into a night of horror and heartbreak when a Jeep slammed into a horse-drawn Amish buggy on State Road 218, just west of Berne. The crash, which happened around 11:20 p.m. on October 7, shattered the quiet of the countryside and drew an overwhelming emergency response from across the region.
By the time first responders arrived, the scene was chaotic. The once-sturdy wooden buggy lay in splinters across the darkened road, its wheels torn off and debris scattered for yards. A Jeep sat mangled in a roadside ditch, its front end crushed, headlights dimming in the distance. Sirens echoed through the farmland as paramedics, firefighters, and deputies rushed to help.
Authorities later confirmed that nine people had been riding in the buggy — members of an Amish family returning home after an evening gathering. Seven were injured, including six children, with wounds ranging from scrapes and bruises to severe trauma. The force of the collision had thrown several passengers into the roadway, leaving a heartbreaking scene that first responders described as “utterly devastating.”
The buggy’s driver, 32-year-old Ruben L. M. Schwartz of Berne, suffered life-threatening injuries and was airlifted by Lutheran Air to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. 20-year-old Joseph L. M. Schwartz and five young children were transported by ambulance to Parkview Hospital for further treatment. Two others — 32-year-old Saraetta L. Schwartz and a 2-year-old child — were evaluated at the scene and declined additional medical care, though witnesses say they appeared shaken and distraught.
Adams County Sheriff Dan Mawhorr shared preliminary details at the scene, explaining that the Jeep, driven by 33-year-old Bradley J. Ocilka of Burlington, Kentucky, was traveling eastbound on SR 218 when it struck the rear of the buggy, which was moving at a much slower speed typical for horse-drawn vehicles. The violent impact demolished the buggy and sent its occupants tumbling onto the pavement.
Ocilka was taken to a nearby hospital for a mandatory blood draw, standard procedure in serious crashes involving injury or death. Authorities did not comment on whether alcohol or speed was a factor but noted that Ocilka declined further medical treatment. As of the most recent update, no charges had been filed, though investigators say the case remains open and active.
The emergency response involved nearly a dozen agencies, including Adams County EMS, the Berne and Geneva Police Departments, the Berne Fire Department, Wells and Jay County EMS, Indiana State Police, and the Lutheran Hospital Flight Team. Rescue workers described the scene as emotionally taxing — family members crying out for loved ones, horses frightened and injured, and the scattered remains of what was once a peaceful carriage ride home.
Residents living nearby reported hearing the crash and rushing outside to help before emergency crews arrived. “It sounded like an explosion,” said one local farmer. “By the time I got to the road, there were pieces of the buggy everywhere and people screaming for help. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
As dawn broke the following morning, cleanup crews continued clearing debris from the highway. The quiet Amish community of Berne — long accustomed to the slow rhythm of horse-drawn travel — was left grappling with shock and sorrow. Many in the area have since called for increased safety measures, such as better lighting on buggies, reflective markings, and stricter enforcement of speed limits along rural routes frequently used by Amish families.
Sheriff Mawhorr expressed sympathy for the victims and gratitude for the emergency workers who responded so quickly. “These are the kinds of calls that stay with you,” he said. “Our hearts go out to the family involved and to everyone affected by this tragedy.”
For now, the small town mourns and waits for word on the recovery of those injured — a grim reminder that, even on quiet country roads, a moment of inattention can shatter lives in an instant.