According to Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox, Andrew Kurtz had been riding horseback with approximately 25 other Amish youth in the area.
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A 19 year-old Jamesport man died in a drowning accident in northwest Livingston County, about a mile from the Daviess County border, around 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 16. According to Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox, Andrew Kurtz had been riding horseback with approximately 25 other Amish youth in the area.
Witnesses told the investigating officers that Mr. Kurtz rode his horse into a small farm pond. The horse went completely under water and Mr. Kurtz went off its back. Mr. Kurtz was not able to swim. After the horse swam to the opposite bank and Mr. Kurtz did not surface, an unsuccessful effort was made by the other youths present to locate him.
A call was then made to the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department who in turn notified the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department of the possible drowning.
Authorities arrived on the scene and a short time later, the Daviess County Underwater Rescue Team recovered the body. Livingston County Coroner Scott Lindley pronounced Mr. Kurtz dead at the scene.
Interviews conducted by the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department revealed that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the incident.
“Witnesses allege that Mr. Kurtz had been consuming alcohol, as had some of the other youths,” said Sheriff Cox.
Of the youths who had been in the group horse back riding, officers observed that none were 21 or older. Information was gathered as to the source of the supply of the alcohol, which was alleged to have originated in Daviess County.
According to the report, about 15 minutes before the Sheriff’s Department received that call, another call had come in advising that a large group of Amish youth were riding horses in that area, and that most were allegedly consuming alcoholic beverages.
Sheriff Cox said there had been some question as to the cause of death and the possibility that Mr. Kurtz might have been kicked by the horse, but an autopsy performed Monday ruled the cause of death as a drowning. Blood alcohol tests have not yet been returned.
Others assisting at the scene were the Daviess County Ambulance, Daviess County Sheriff, Chillicothe Department of Emergency Services and Livingston County Deputies Kim Valbracht and Kurt Reith.
Mr. Kurt’s obituary appears on page seven of this paper.