HILLSBORO / YUBA, Wis. – A 29-year-old Amish man was killed and three others were injured when a car collided head on with a horse drawn buggy near Hillsboro on Wednesday around 6 p.m. According to Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson, Lydia E. M. Thompson, 22, of rural Sparta, Wis. and Jaydon Alan Shea, 20, of La Farge, Wis. were driving east on State Highway 82 when their vehicle struck a westbound buggy head-on, in the westbound lane, on a curve.
Henry F. Bontrager, 29, and Ruth J. Bontrager, 29, both of rural Hillsboro occupied the horse-drawn vehicle and were both ejected from the buggy, which came to rest in the roadway. The passenger car went off the north side of the roadway and traveled down an embankment where it came to rest.
Henry Bontrager was pronounced dead at the scene by Vernon County Coroner Betty Nigh. Thompson, Shea, and Ruth Bontrager were transported to Gundersen St. Joseph’s Hospital, in Hillsboro by La Farge Area Ambulance. Ruth Bontrager was later transferred to Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, Wis.
The horse also died because of the crash.
Assisting the Sheriff’s Office at the scene were the La Farge Fire Department, La Farge Area
Ambulance, Wisconsin State Patrol Technical Reconstruction Unit, and the Town of Union,
and the Vernon County Coroner’s Office. Sheriff Torgerson stated several concerned citizens stopped to render aid and protect the scene until emergency personnel arrived. The Sheriff’s Office also requested Gundersen Air but they were unable to fly due to weather conditions.
What a great little newspaper. I stumbled on it when reading news break. I would like to be participating in your posts. Dave Thompson.