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3 Amish men charged in buggy race, crash
Three young Amish men have been charged in a late-night buggy race in the Town of Leon in which a collision with a fourth buggy left a horse dead.
The charges were announced Sunday after a weeklong investigation of the May 19 accident by the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Department. Deputies were called to the scene after a dead horse and smashed buggy were found in a ditch on Riga Road last Monday.
Deputies said the three men from Leon were racing their buggies south on Riga Road at 11 p.m. when they crested a knoll and encountered a northbound buggy driven by Eli D. Miller, 17, of Napoli. The unsuspecting Miller collided with the horse and buggy driven by Jacob E. Wengerd, 17, of Route 62, deputies said. Wengerd's horse was killed, and Miller's horse suffered cuts to its legs and chest, deputies added.
Wengerd was charged with cruelty to an animal, taking part in an unlawful speed contest, unsafe passing and failure to keep right.
The other two buggies were driven by Wengerd's brother, Andy E., 18, and Joseph R. Miller, 20, of Riga Road, according to deputies. Both men were charged with taking part in an unlawful speed contest.
No injuries were reported. The three defendants must appear in Leon Town Court on June 5.
The charges were announced Sunday after a weeklong investigation of the May 19 accident by the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Department. Deputies were called to the scene after a dead horse and smashed buggy were found in a ditch on Riga Road last Monday.
Deputies said the three men from Leon were racing their buggies south on Riga Road at 11 p.m. when they crested a knoll and encountered a northbound buggy driven by Eli D. Miller, 17, of Napoli. The unsuspecting Miller collided with the horse and buggy driven by Jacob E. Wengerd, 17, of Route 62, deputies said. Wengerd's horse was killed, and Miller's horse suffered cuts to its legs and chest, deputies added.
Wengerd was charged with cruelty to an animal, taking part in an unlawful speed contest, unsafe passing and failure to keep right.
The other two buggies were driven by Wengerd's brother, Andy E., 18, and Joseph R. Miller, 20, of Riga Road, according to deputies. Both men were charged with taking part in an unlawful speed contest.
No injuries were reported. The three defendants must appear in Leon Town Court on June 5.
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