A horse-drawn buggy hauling a boat and carrying five people, including a 2-year-old child, was struck by a pickup truck early Thursday morning on Manchester Avenue NW, injuring the buggy occupants and killing one of the horses, according to Lawrence Township police.
The crash was reported at 5:06 a.m. Thursday in the 3600 block of Manchester Avenue NW, Sgt. Brad Henson of the Lawrence Township Police Department told Jordan Miller News in a phone interview.
Henson said the buggy was traveling on Manchester Avenue when it was struck by a pickup truck. The buggy was carrying five passengers: a 2-year-old child, a 24-year-old woman, a 39-year-old man, a 23-year-old man and another occupant whose age was not immediately available.
All five occupants were taken to Mercy Medical Center for evaluation. Henson said first responders did not initially believe the injuries were life-threatening, but all passengers were transported as a precaution.
Two horses were involved in the crash. One horse died from its injuries, while the other survived and was taken to a nearby barn for care, Henson said.
Police said the pickup truck driver remained at the scene following the crash. The truck was later towed, and the driver left in a private vehicle.
Investigators were still working Thursday to determine what led to the collision. It was not immediately clear whether any citations would be issued.
Henson said the buggy was hauling a boat at the time of the crash.
While Henson said this was the first buggy-related crash he could recall in his 15 years with the department, he noted an increase in horse-drawn buggy traffic in the area in recent years, particularly during the early morning hours.
Drivers should remain alert and be prepared to share the road with slower-moving vehicles, Henson said.
The crash remains under investigation.
