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Four people — three of them tourists — were injured Friday morning when a buggy in which they were riding overturned.
The incident occurred as a horse-drawn buggy, owned by Amish Farm and House, 2395 Lincoln Highway East, was traveling along the dirt-and-gravel lane to the popular local tourist attraction behind the Target store.
According to East Lampeter Township police, the horse apparently was frightened by the sound of an engine brake from a passing tractor-trailer. The panicked horse caused the buggy, driven by William D. Westbrook III of the 500 block of Creek Road, to overturn.
The horse then dragged the buggy north along the lane, causing the driver and his passengers to be thrown onto the ground along the path.
The driver and all three passengers suffered injuries ranging from moderate to severe and were taken to Lancaster General Hospital for treatment. It is not known if any of them were admitted.
Police refused to identify the passengers but did confirm they were tourists.
"We didn't release any names because we weren't handling this as a police incident," East Lampeter Township police Sgt. James D. Shank said. "It wasn't considered a traffic accident because it was off-road and it did not involve a motor vehicle. It was pretty much a medical assist."
A spokeswoman at Amish Farm and House who did not give her name said she had no information on the condition of the victims.
"We're waiting to hear ourselves," she said.She refused to comment on other matters regarding the incident.
The Amish Farm and House has been a local attraction since 1955. Operating out of a 200-year-old stone farmhouse, it is intended to give tourists a look into the life of a typical Amish farm family.
The carriage ride is a 15-minute tour of the 15-acre farm.
E-mail: lalexander@lnpnews.com
