3 injured when pickup strikes horse-drawn buggy in Indiana Amish country

In the heart of Northern Indiana’s Amish community, a sleepy driver struck a horse-drawn buggy with her pickup Friday afternoon, sending the buggy driver and his two young sons to the hospital with serious injuries.

At around 1:45 p.m., Alvin Kuhns, 45, of Bremen, was at the reins driving his buggy along U.S. 6 in rural Bremen, said Trent Smith, an Indiana State Police spokesman.

Laurie Bope, 44, Goshen, was driving a pickup along the road when she fell asleep and struck the slower buggy, Smith said.

Kuhns, 45, and his sons all suffered head injuries. Kuhns was taken to Bremen Hospital. Ryan, 6, and Caleb, 3, were airlifted to Parkview Health hospital in Fort Wayne.

Both boys are listed in serious condition, Smith said.

The horse pulling the buggy died.

The crash remains under investigation.

Call Star reporter Ryan Sabalow at (317) 444-6179. Follow him on Twitter: @RyanSabalow.