Priest Hospitalized After Carriage Accident During Pilgrimage

A 53-year-old parish priest in Bodzewo was hospitalized via air rescue after a carriage accident during the V Horse and Carriage Pilgrimage to Święta Góra. The incident occurred Saturday afternoon when a horse spooked while passing a tractor, causing the vehicle to overturn and crush the driver.

How did the carriage accident in Bodzewo occur?

The accident happened Saturday afternoon in Bodzewo, Wielkopolskie. Three people were traveling by carriage toward Święta Góra to participate in the V Horse and Carriage Pilgrimage.

According to reports, the horse spooked while the carriage was passing a farm tractor. This caused the vehicle to flip over. While two women traveling with the priest managed to exit the carriage before it overturned, the priest remained on board.

Did You Know? The accident took place during the V Horse and Carriage Pilgrimage, a specific local event heading toward Święta Góra.

What are the priest’s current injuries?

The 53-year-old driver was transported to a hospital in Puszczykowo by the Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe (Air Rescue) helicopter. Medical personnel on-site identified general body bruising and extensive skin injuries to the priest’s head, arms, and legs.

Unofficial reports indicate the priest was crushed by the carriage and dragged several dozen meters. Official confirmation of the full extent of his injuries is pending further hospital examinations.

Expert Insight: Samantha Carter notes that the interaction between traditional animal-drawn transport and modern agricultural machinery, such as tractors, creates high-risk variables. The unpredictability of livestock in these shared-road scenarios often complicates standard road safety protocols.

What is the status of the police investigation?

Kom. Monika Curyk, press officer for the KPP in Gostyń, stated that authorities are treating the event as a road accident. Police are currently conducting necessary procedures to determine the exact cause.

Wypadek na drodze z Lednogóry do Pobiedzisk. W akcji Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe

Because a sobriety test could not be performed at the scene, the KPP in Gostyń has requested officers from Puszczykowo to conduct the test at the hospital where the priest is being treated.

What may happen next in the case?

Investigators are likely to review the sequence of events leading to the horse spooking. This could include analyzing the proximity of the farm tractor and the road conditions at the time of the crash.

The legal classification of the event may depend on the results of the sobriety test and the final medical reports regarding the priest’s injuries. A possible next step involves official statements from the hospital once the patient’s condition is stabilized.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did the accident take place?
The accident occurred in Bodzewo, located in the Wielkopolskie voivodeship.

Who was injured in the crash?
The 53-year-old local parish priest who was driving the carriage was injured; the other two passengers escaped before the vehicle overturned.

Why did the carriage overturn?
The horse pulling the carriage spooked while passing a farm tractor, leading to the vehicle flipping over.

Do you believe traditional animal-drawn transport should have dedicated lanes during local pilgrimages to avoid traffic conflicts?