A 7-year-old Winfield boy was killed Saturday and his mother seriously injured when the horse-drawn buggy in which they were riding was struck from behind by a sport utility vehicle on Route 304 in Union County.

According to state police at Milton, Ezra T. Yoder, 7, a son of Tobias M. and Fronie Holstetter Yoder, of 1297 Amish Road, was ejected from the buggy when it was struck from behind by a 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac driven by Jeremy Brown, 36, of 49 Oak Lane, Selinsgrove.

Police said Tobias Yoder was at the reins of the buggy just before 2 p.m., traveling west at a slow speed in Limestone Township, just a few miles from the family’s home, when Brown failed to stop and struck the buggy, ejecting all four occupants.

Ezra was pronounced dead at the scene by Union County Coroner Wanda Walters. Ezra’s 39-year-old mother was taken to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, where she remains in serious condition, a nursing supervisor said Saturday night.

An 11-year-old girl also was taken to Geisinger via Life Flight helicopter with what police described as serious injuries. Her condition was not available because state police do not release the names of juveniles.

Tobias Yoder, 43, and Brown suffered minor injuries.

Police did not say whether Brown would be charged. There was no information on the fate of the Yoders’ horse.

Ezra becomes the 15th person to die on Valley roads this year. Last year, 29 people were killed in traffic accidents in Montour, Nortumberland, Snyder and Union counties.

Second Valley accident in month

Saturday’s collision was at least the fourth between an automobile and horse-drawn buggy this year.

A Middleburg man was arraigned Sept. 30 on charges of hitting a horse-drawn buggy Sept. 24 in Penns Creek and then fleeing.

James Dean Leitzel, 45, of 3119 Richard Road, was charged with six counts of causing an accident involving personal injury, an accident involving damage to an attended vehicle, driving a vehicle at an unsafe speed, careless driving and failure to give information and render aid.

He was released on unsecured $50,000 bail.

Delores Horning, of Middleburg, and five of her children were injured in the accident. One child, a 5-year-old boy, suffered a fractured skull, but has returned to his family home.