BERNE, Indiana — A late-night crash on State Road 218 turned a quiet stretch of rural highway into a chaotic emergency scene after a Jeep collided with a horse-drawn Amish buggy, injuring several people and sending multiple victims to area hospitals.

The collision occurred around 11:20 p.m. on October 7. When first responders arrived, they found the buggy shattered across the roadway and a heavily damaged Jeep resting in a nearby ditch. Debris was scattered for yards, and the horse had fled the scene.

Authorities reported that nine people were inside the buggy at the time of the crash. Seven were taken to hospitals for treatment, including six juveniles. The driver, 32-year-old Ruben L.M. Schwartz of Berne, was airlifted to Lutheran Hospital with serious injuries.

Another passenger, Joseph L.M. Schwartz, 20, and five juveniles were transported by ambulance to Parkview Hospital. Two others — Saraetta L. Schwartz, 32, and a 2-year-old child — declined treatment at the scene, according to officials.

Adams County Sheriff Dan Mawhorr said the buggy was struck from behind by an eastbound Jeep driven by Bradley J. Ocilka, 33, of Burlington, Kentucky. The impact threw nearly all the occupants from the buggy. Ocilka was taken to the hospital for a legal blood draw but refused other medical attention.

As of now, no charges have been filed, and the crash remains under investigation. Authorities are working to determine the speed of the Jeep and whether impairment played a role.

Emergency crews from multiple departments — including Adams County EMS, Berne and Geneva police, and the Indiana State Police — responded to the scene.

Officials described the aftermath as “chaotic,” praising first responders for their quick work in providing aid and securing the area during one of the region’s most serious recent traffic accidents.