Man arrested, 2 hospitalized after horse-and-buggy crash in Centre County
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- Man arrested after striking an Amish horse-and-buggy while allegedly intoxicated.
- Two buggy occupants hospitalized with suspected head trauma; condition not detailed.
- Driver charged with aggravated assault by vehicle, DUI and resisting arrest.
A man was arrested and two people were hospitalized after state police at Rockview said he slammed his vehicle into an Amish horse-and-buggy Tuesday night in rural Centre County while under the influence of alcohol.
Jose E. Ortiz, 46, of Ohio, was accused of drunken driving when he hit the buggy about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday on the 1100 block of North Eagle Valley Road in Liberty Township.
An affidavit of probable cause did not detail how the crash occurred, but a trooper said the buggy and Ortiz’s 2001 Ford Mustang were heavily damaged after Ortiz struck the buggy.
The operator of the buggy and his passenger were transported by ambulance to UPMC Williamsport for suspected head trauma, police wrote. Their condition was not detailed in the affidavit and a message left with the hospital was not immediately returned.
A trooper said Ortiz was uncooperative, refused to provide his driver’s license, smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot, watery eyes. He also failed multiple standardized field sobriety tests, police wrote.
Ortiz had his blood drawn at Mount Nittany Medical Center, where police said he had to be restrained several times because he was shouting, swearing and kicking. It was not clear if Ortiz was injured in the crash.
He was charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, as well as misdemeanor counts of DUI, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He’s also facing a summary count of reckless driving.
No defense lawyer was listed. District Judge Allen Sinclair set bail Wednesday at $25,000. Ortiz is incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 17.
There were 22 crashes involving a horse-and-buggy between 2015 and 2024 in Centre County, according to state Department of Transportation data. Sixty percent of such crashes were reported in Miles Township.
There have been no reported horse-and-buggy crashes in Liberty Township since 2017.
This story was originally published December 3, 2025 at 11:58 AM.