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Amish children injured in Mt. Zion accident
accident Amish hit
photo by Erin Martin/Boscobel Dial

MT. ZION - One child is hospitalized and four others injured after a Fennimore driver struck an Amish buggy on Highway 61 near Mt. Zion in Scott Township on Friday March 18 at 9:38 a.m.

James Gobin, 86, of Fennimore, was northbound in a 1998 GMC truck, when he struck an Amish buggy occupied by six school-bound children ranging in ages from six to 11, according to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department. The Gobin vehicle was in the slow lane. The horse drawn buggy driven by an 11-year-old Mt Zion boy was also northbound in the slow lane ahead of Gobin. The Gobin vehicle ran into the back of the horse drawn buggy. 

The buggy sustained heavy damage from the collision and three of the passengers were thrown onto the roadway. 

Med Link was called to the scene and transported one of the children to a La Crosse Hospital. Four of the other children were taken to Gunderson Boscobel Area Hospital.  The injuries range from head injuries to possible broken bones. 

The 11-year-old driver of the buggy was not injured in the crash.  All of the children in the buggy are from the Mt. Zion area and were on their way to school. 

Gobin who was not injured stated that he didn’t see the buggy until he hit it, according to the sheriff’s report.

The buggy was equipped with a slow moving vehicle sign, hazard, and turn lights.

The horse pulling the buggy was injured when the buggy struck it in the back legs but was treated by a local veterinarian and is expected to make a full recovery.

The Wisconsin State Patrol was called in to reconstruct the accident.  Others assisting at the scene were the Boscobel Police Department, Crawford County Highway Department, Boscobel EMS, Boscobel Fire Department, Ocooch Mountain Rescue, North Crawford EMS, Scott Township First Responders, and Fry Towing.

Gobin is expected to be charged with inattentive driving.