Amish Hurt In Crash

BOMBAY - Three children ages five and under and an adult female were injured Tuesday, when their horse and buggy was struck by a pickup truck.

The truck and buggy collided on county Route 9, known locally as Bombay-Helena Road, less than a mile from where a 6-year-old Amish boy was struck and killed by a vehicle on Aug. 30. State Trooper David Hungerford, based out of the Malone barracks, said

Tuesday's collision occurred around 10:48 a.m., when a black 2006 Toyota Tacoma driven by Daniel J. Pecore, 32, of Malone, was traveling west and attempted to pass the buggy, striking it with the front passengers' side of the vehicle. Mr. Pecore was cited for unsafe passing, but escaped injury.

The driver of the buggy, Emma D. Kurtz, 29, of Bombay, as well as three young passengers, Steven D. Kurtz, 5, Sarah D. Kurtz, 3, and Daniel D. Kurtz, 2, were ejected from the buggy, which was destroyed by the collision.

"Four people were transported to Massena Memorial Hospital," said Bombay Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department Chief Tony J. Leduc. "None of them had life-threatening injuries."

The Toyota Tacoma, adorned with a Rosario's pizza sign, sustained only light damage to the front passengers' side.

Bombay was aided at the scene by Moira Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, Helena Volunteer Fire Department and Tri-Town Rescue.

"There couldn't have been a better response," said Helena Fire Department Chief Frank W. Burns, also a deputy coordinator for St. Lawrence County Emergency Services. "All the injured were loaded and gone within 10 minutes (of the dispatch time)."

Franklin County Fire Police had county Route 9 closed until for almost two hours.

"This was lucky all around," Mr. Burns added. "If that truck had struck the buggy square instead of just glancing it, there's no doubt in my mind we'd be dealing with fatalities."

Chief Burns said Tuesday's collision, combined with the Aug. 30 crash on the St. Lawrence County portion of the same roadway, show the dangers of excessive speed.

"The speed limit's 55 miles per hour here," he said. "But you and I both know, if the speed limit's 55, everybody drives 60 or 65. It's always rush, rush, rush. Except these people (the Amish) aren't."

On Aug. 30, 6-year-old Bennie J. Byler was killed when he was struck by an SUV operated by Michael T. Guldan, 53, of Massena, on county Route 37, the St. Lawrence County end of Bombay-Helena Road.

Mr. Guldan tried to avoid the boy, who was struck by the passenger side of the car. Mr. Guldan wasn't speeding at the time of the accident, troopers said.

St. Lawrence County Coroner June H. Wood said the boy's death was ruled accidental, caused by massive internal injuries.