Local family launches campaign to change road laws after son involved in Amish buggy crash
MINERVA, Ohio (WJW) — Concern about accidents involving fast moving vehicles and slow-moving Amish buggies, is prompting a Northeast Ohio family to launch a campaign to change the law and the effort was inspired by their own heartbreaking experience.
The parents of 20-year-old Zachary Wensel of Minerva say he was a hard-working young man with a bright future until March 3rd, 2024, when he was involved in a terrible accident while riding his motorcycle in the Amish Country of Holmes County.
As he came over the crest of a hill at 50 miles per hour, he was immediately confronted with an SUV, that was going only five miles an hour because it was behind an Amish buggy.
Zachary’s mother, Dr. Dawna Wensel, told FOX 8, “he had no other option but to take the full brunt of the force and hit the back of the SUV.”
Even though he was wearing a helmet, Zachary Wensel suffered severe injuries, that included a traumatic brain injury and 13 broken bones in his face.
He was initially in a coma, and when he emerged from it, his parents say he was in a great deal of pain and it had a profound impact on his once positive outlook on life.
His mother wept as she told us, “four months before his 21st birthday, which is tomorrow, he committed suicide because he couldn’t handle it anymore.”
In their grief, Zachary Wensel’s parents decided to seek changes in the law, to prevent the kind of the accident that changed their lives forever.
“Zachary’s Law” would create a designated non-motorized lane on all roads and highways with posted speed limits of 55 mph or higher, or restrict horse drawn buggies or wagons from using those roads.
“We want them to still be able to travel and practice their religion the way that they have but there has to be an update to the law to make it safe for cars going 55 miles an hour and buggies going five miles an hour,” said Zachary’s father, Don Wensel.
The family has reached out to Gov. DeWine and lawmakers in Washington and Columbus, asking them to consider Zachary’s Law.
They are inviting Ohioans to sign a petition on change.org, seeking support for the designated buggy lane proposal.
Dawna Wensel told us, “we’re not living in the 19th century anymore, we need to update our reforms and make our roads safe for everybody.”
Don Wensel added, “and the way it is currently is not working and people are dying.”
Since launching the campaign, Zachary’s parents say they have heard the stories of many other families who have suffered terrible tragedies involving slow moving buggies on high-speed roads and highways.
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