The weekend before Christmas turned deadly in Mercer County Friday when a man collided his car with a buggy while trying to pass another vehicle on state route 49, sending three members of an Old Order Amish family to separate hospitals and leaving the family’s infant daughter dead at the scene.
In a press release issued by Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey, officials announced the details of the investigation into the accident. The crash happened at 5:20 p.m. on December 22nd just north of Oregon Road in Liberty Township in Mercer County. According to police, Trey Frech, 24, of New Paris, was headed north in his 2016 Chevrolet when he crossed the center line to pass a van. While in the other lane, Frech collided head-on with the buggy.
Frech was ejected from his vehicle and was airlifted to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.
John Schwartz, 24, of Celina and his three-year-old son were taken to Mercer Health in Coldwater, while Elizabeth Schwartz, 26, was taken to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton. Schwartz was seven months pregnant at the time of the accident.
The Schwartz’s daughter, Rosann, was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 18 months old.
Rosann’s grandparents are Daniel and Barbara Schwartz of Berne and Enos and Elma Schwartz of Geneva.
The family’s horse also died at the scene. The crash is still under investigation.