Full Notification

Economy – At approximately 9:30 p.m. Thursday night, Trooper Joshua Bayly over heard a Wayne County Dispatch of a collision involving a buggy and car on US 35 and Newman Rd., just south of Economy. He arrived to find the three vehicles and an Amish buggy involved.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the buggy, driven by Michael Lapp, age 17 of Economy, was north bound on US 35, just south of Newman Rd., with no lights on. A north bound 2009 Ford car, driven by Martin Lawson, age 44 of Hagerstown, was unable to stop before striking the rear of the buggy, knocking it into the south bound lane of US 35.

The buggy was then sideswiped by a south bound Buick driven by Norman Zile, age 51, of Middletown. During the collision, a passenger in the buggy, Jonas Beiler, age 17 of Economy, was ejected onto the roadway, where he was struck by a north bound Pontiac driven by Bailey Wilkison, age 17 of Mooreland. Beiler was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the buggy, Michael Lapp, and a female passenger, were uninjured. The drivers of the cars were also uninjured. Trooper Bayly was assisted in the investigation by State Police Crash Reconstructionist, Trooper Scott Keegan; Sergeants Jeff Zeiger and David Whitinger, and Trooper Mark Hanna.

Also assisting at the scene was the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, Perry Township Fire Department and Culberson Ambulance Service. The attached photograph is of the Amish buggy debris. The horse was uninjured in the crash.