The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

Yesterday, October 20, three Amish sisters were traveling on an Ohio road in a horse-drawn buggy. The oldest sister, one Verna Slabaugh aged 17, was driving the buggy, and her sisters aged 14 and 5 were passengers. They were on their way to visit their grandmother.

A commercial semi truck was traveling on the same road, both vehicles heading north. It was hauling a load of plastic. As the truck was beginning to pass the buggy, it turned left in front of the truck and there was an intersectional collision. The five-year-old child, Lydia, was thrown from the buggy and trapped beneath the truck.

Small Girl Conscious and Crying

Emergency workers took 45 minutes to extract her from between the two rear tandem tires of the semi truck. One Gary Conard heard news of the truck accident on his police scanner and went to see how the girls were.

• "They had to raise the semi up to get her out of there," he said. "She's lucky to be alive."

When the medical workers retrieved her, Lydia was conscious and crying. She was flown by helicopter to Children’s Hospital in Columbus in critical condition. By that time, several members of the Slabaugh family had arrived and Conard drove them all to the hospital. The two older sisters sustained only minor injuries and the truck driver was not injured at all.

No Citations Issued Yet

As of Tuesday evening, no citations had been issued, although the accident is still under investigation. The Ohio Highway Patrol officer has said that the buggy lacked any rear reflective placard, which is required by law. However, there was no indication that such a placard would have made any difference in this accident. Since it was a left-turning accident, the trucker would not have seen any such placard.

As the news reports stand today, it would appear that the buggy driver erred in suddenly turning in front of the truck. Those huge vehicles need extra time and road space for stopping or slowing, and it is always important for smaller vehicles to keep enough distance from them for safety. But perhaps the truck’s brakes were not in tip-top condition, or there was some defect on the road, both of which factors often contribute to truck accidents. It remains to be seen what the continuing investigation will turn up.

If you have been injured in a truck accident and would like to consult a personal injury attorney about your rights and options, please contact our law firm today. We have offices nationwide for your convenience.

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