SULLIVAN TOWNSHIP — A West Salem man was arrested and seven people were injured, some of them seriously, after a vehicle collided with a horse-drawn buggy in Ashland County on Sunday night, according to Ashland Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Troopers from the Ashland Post are investigating the Ashland County crash that occurred at approximately 7:39 p.m. on US 224, near County Road 581.
The Patrol stated that Patrick A. Muscaro, 47, of West Salem, was driving a 2002 Ford Taurus eastbound on US 224. Andy Swartzentruber, 31, of Sullivan was eastbound in a horse-drawn buggy. Swartzentruber had his wife and 5 children with him in the buggy.
The Patrol reported that Muscaro failed to maintain an assured clear distance ahead and struck the rear of the Swartzentruber’s buggy. All seven occupants were ejected from the buggy with various degrees of injuries. Muscaro’s Taurus came to a final rest in eastbound lane of US 224 and he did not claim any injuries.
Two of the children were flown to Akron Children’s Hospital from the scene in serious condition. Swartzentruber was transported to Lodi Hospital and then flown to Akron General Hospital in serious condition. Swartzentruber and the remaining children were transported to University Hospitals Ashland for their injuries.
Muscaro was arrested for OVI and transported to the Ashland Justice Facility. The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office and Sullivan Fire and Rescue were on scene along with mutual assist from adjoining agencies. The crash remains under investigation.
