QUINCY, MI (WTVB) – An Angola, Indiana man is being held on a $500,000 bond and is facing numerous drunk driving felony charges following the Friday evening fatal accident in southeastern Branch County when a pickup truck hit the back of a horse drawn Amish buggy. Three children are dead following the crash.
The driver of the pickup has been identified by Michigan State Police as 21-year-old Tyler Frye. He is being held in the Branch County Jail and is facing three charges of O.U.I.L. causing death, two counts of O.U.I.L. causing serious injury and one count of possession of a firearm while intoxicated.
WOOD-TV reports that according to Branch County court documents, Frye’s blood alcohol count was .108 after he told investigating officers he had consumed six beers throughout the day on Friday.
Frye was arraigned on Saturday in Branch County District Court. A probable cause hearing was scheduled for June 20th with a preliminary exam set for June 25th.
Michigan State Police say two children, ages six and two, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on Kelley Road south of Lester Road which happened just after 6:00 p.m..
In addition, State Police report a 4-year old boy died Saturday at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo.
Five children and two adults were ejected from the carriage.
An adult female in the carriage sustained serious injuries.
The injured carriage occupants were transported to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne and Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo.
The investigation into the crash by the State Police is continuing.
The accident story has been picked up by some national news media outlets including ABC News, CNN and Fox News.
Friday’s accident follows a crash last month when the driver of a black passenger car struck a horse drawn carriage head on in California Township near the Indiana border and then drove off. No one was injured in that accident. Five people were injured last October in a car-buggy accident in California Township on South Fremont Road north of East Copeland Road.
