Michigan Police: Buggy Crash Kills 3 Kids, Injures 6 Others

BUSHNELL TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - Skid-marks can be seen along an empty stretch of road in a rural Michigan town where a crash between a pickup and horse-drawn buggy has killed three.

Michigan State Police say the collision killed three children and critically injured six other people.

State Police telling WOOD-TV that the pickup truck crashed into the rear of the buggy about 8:30 a.m. Sunday in Bushnell Township, just southeast of the village of Sheridan in central Michigan - a town with a population of less than 2,000.

State Police say the buggy was carrying nine people. Children ages 7, 9 and 12 died in the crash.

Mary, one of the owners of Charlies Pit Stop Pizzeria in town, says a customer came in earlier and told her about the accident -- "a truck ran over the buggy, it missed the horse -- but went over the buggy."

She says in the area there are a lot of Amish families -- "it just happens so often ... it's so sad."

The six other people who were riding in the buggy were taken to a hospital in critical condition. Troopers say their injuries are life-threatening.

The driver of the pickup truck appeared to have been wearing a seatbelt. Restraint use in the buggy is unknown.  Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the traffic crash according to police.

The driver of the pickup was not injured, and troopers say he was cooperative following the crash.

The crash remains under investigation. Additional details, including the victims' names, haven't been released.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)