Beginning in Switzerland in 1693, the Amish church is a community of traditionalist Christians renowned for their sizable families, simple way of life, and a cautious stance toward modern technology. While their world revolves around living according to what they interpret as God’s word, a steady increase in population has meant that more members of the sect find themselves entangled with the law. Below, the top 10 bizarre incidents showcase a mix of amusing and tragic moments that are simply too odd to picture.
top 10 bizarre Highlights
10 Religious Tipplers
In legal terms, it makes no difference whether a person is behind the wheel of an automobile or a horse‑drawn buggy—if they’re impaired, they’ll be booked. That rule hit a 21‑year‑old Amish man who, after downing ten beers, barreled through a stop sign. A deputy in Geauga County, Ohio, mistook the buggy for a runaway horse and chased it until the inebriated driver finally pulled up at his farm. After flunking a field‑sobriety test, the “religious tippler” exchanged his 19th‑century carriage for a seat in the back of a police cruiser.
A comparable episode unfolded in 2011 when a teenage Amish driver in Conewango, New York, refused to stop his horse‑drawn carriage after officers observed him sipping beer. The 17‑year‑old, Lewis D. Hostetler, led police on a slow‑speed pursuit before being cited for a laundry list of offenses: resisting arrest, littering a highway, unlawful alcohol possession, inadequate tail‑lamp lighting, and obstruction of governmental administration.
Although the two stories are entertaining, they pale beside a 2012 incident in upstate New York where four intoxicated Amish youths decided to drag‑race their buggies on a dark country road. When law enforcement arrived, one of the horses slammed into a police cruiser, causing the buggy to overturn. All four teens escaped without physical injury but faced charges for under‑age alcohol possession.
9 Fatal Mishaps
Just three days before his tenth birthday, Samuel Herschberger endured a harrowing accident that would alter his life forever. On August 22, 1991, while performing chores on his family’s farm, the boy fell into a tractor‑driven drive shaft. The impact ripped off his left arm and right foot, peeled his scalp, and crushed his right arm into fragments. Miraculously, Samuel survived the ordeal and eventually became one of the most recognizable Amish figures in Illinois, if not the nation. The national coverage spurred a wave of donations, helping the Herschberger family cover the roughly $250,000 in medical expenses.
In stark contrast, Jacob Stutzman of Indiana was not as fortunate. In the fall of 2013, the 23‑year‑old was performing his usual duties when he slipped and fell onto a moving saw blade at a local sawmill. First responders arrived promptly, but the injuries were beyond saving, and Stutzman was pronounced dead on the scene, adding another sorrowful entry to the tally of accidental farm fatalities.
8 A Shot In The Dark
In December 2011, after a Christmas party in northern Ohio, 15‑year‑old Rachel Yoder was only three miles from home when an unexpected .50‑caliber bullet descended from the sky, striking her in the head. As she lay dying in her buggy, the horse continued on its path, eventually circling the family farm. Her brother, noticing the errant buggy, discovered Rachel’s motionless body and watched her slip away the following day. Initial police theories suggested she might have fallen from the buggy, but an autopsy confirmed homicide.
Five months later, closure arrived when Marion Yoder—unrelated to Rachel—turned himself in after an arrest warrant was issued. He had fired a single round from his rifle into the air during a hunting trip, and the projectile traveled over a mile before embedding itself in Rachel’s skull.
Initially charged with felony reckless homicide, Marion’s family advocated against the severe charge. He ultimately pled guilty to a misdemeanor count of negligent homicide, receiving a 180‑day jail sentence with all but 30 days suspended.
7 No Profit = Bullet
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, houses one of America’s most clandestine industries: a sprawling “puppy‑mill” scene dominated largely by Amish breeders. Hundreds of dogs are crammed into tiny crates, stacked atop one another, with female breeders working until their bodies can no longer endure pregnancy, after which the dogs are euthanized with a bullet. The puppies, produced en masse, are sold to pet stores or through auctions. Estimates suggest around 600 unlicensed facilities operate in the county, employing extreme measures such as “de‑barking”—inserting sharp instruments into puppies’ throats to scar their vocal cords.
In 2013, two Amish men, Merlin Schmucker (26) and Jonathan Eicher (19), were apprehended in central New York after they shot a red‑heeler and its nine puppies because the litter failed to sell. The pair disposed of the bodies in a roadside ditch, where they were later discovered by a highway crew. While Eicher claimed the act was acceptable within Amish customs, Justice Carol Heald sentenced them to 30 days in county jail, imposed $500 fines each, and barred them from owning dogs for 15 years.
6 Secret Ingredient
The Amish’s aversion to many modern conveniences—licenses, high‑school education, electricity—extends to their culinary enterprises, prompting health officials to monitor bakeries that sell meat, cheese, and other goods without refrigeration. In the spring of 2019, an anonymous tip led police to Yoder Baked Goods, a Lancaster County bakery, on suspicion of using “questionable ingredients.” Though the shop appeared clean and compliant, investigators uncovered a shocking secret: the whoopie pies were baked with human breast milk.
While the use of an Amish “princess”’s milk might not pose a direct health hazard, it is both repulsive and illegal to incorporate human fluids into food products. The bakery was promptly shut down, and the incident highlighted the tension between religious freedom and public health regulations.
5 Romancing The Cattle
In 2010, two Amish brothers from Lancaster, Wisconsin, faced a cascade of sexual charges that left the community stunned. Christian G. Stolzfus (19) and his sibling Dannie G. Stolzfus (18) were accused of sexually abusing at least six family members ranging from five to sixteen years old. Adding a further layer of horror, prosecutors alleged the duo also engaged in bestiality, claiming intimate encounters with a cow and a horse on their Grant County farm over a three‑ to four‑year period.
Despite the gravity of the accusations, Christian’s potential sentence of over 400 years was dramatically reduced; he received just one year for child sexual assault. Dannie’s records remain sealed, but it is presumed he faced a similarly light penalty. Observers hope the brothers might turn vegan, yet the lingering question remains whether they will ever relinquish their predatory urges toward livestock.
4 Amish Dr. Ruth
Between September and November 2011, a splinter Amish faction in Bergholz, Ohio, launched a series of unsettling attacks on fellow community members. Led by Sam Mullet, the group broke into homes late at night, forcibly shaving men’s beards and giving women buzz‑cuts. Photographs of the forced haircuts were sent to Mullet, who claimed the assaults were meant to punish the community for perceived injustices, stating, “They changed the rulings of our church here, and they’re trying to force their way down our throat.” Victims described the experience as more painful than any physical beating.
Law enforcement, after months of intimidation, fear, and increased armament among locals, enlisted the FBI. A raid on the compound led to Mullet and several followers being charged with hate crimes. Further investigation revealed that Mullet also ordered beatings, forced some members to sleep in a chicken coop, and engaged in sexual assaults against wives and even daughter‑in‑laws, which his attorney dubbed “Amish Dr. Ruth.” Ultimately, Mullet received an 11‑year prison sentence.
3 Over The Hill Testicles
In the early hours of July 23, 2013, Deputy Adam Hughes was dispatched to a farmhouse in Webster County, Missouri, where he discovered 23‑year‑old Jacob Schwartz lying in a pool of blood. When questioned, Schwartz calmly explained that he had gone outside, sliced open his scrotum, and removed his testicles with a knife, then tossed them “over the hill.” He claimed to have applied a blood‑stop powder and then returned to bed to count sheep.
During the interview, Schwartz suffered a seizure and eventually lost consciousness, prompting an ambulance transport to the hospital. A thorough search of the property yielded no evidence of the missing testicles, nor any extra blood beyond that found in the bedroom. Sheriff Cole expressed skepticism, stating, “I find it hard to accept what the 23‑year‑old man said as being completely truthful. It would be extremely difficult to do what he described.” He added that without corroborating testimony, no charges could be filed.
2 “Amish Stud”
Barbara Weaver, a 30‑year‑old Amish mother of five, penned a heartbreaking letter to her counselor before her murder, lamenting, “Where did my friend, love, trustworthy husband go to? He hates me to the core.” Her husband, Eli Weaver, a serial “English”‑going husband, had previously abandoned his family twice before returning in repentance. In the summer of 2009, Eli conspired with his lover, Barb Raber, to end Barbara’s life. Their text exchanges reveal chilling planning: Eli suggested “maybe you could blow up the house?” to which Raber replied, “What about your kids?” Eli responded, “The kids will go to heaven because they’re innocent.”
On June 2, 2009, after Eli left his home for a fishing trip, Raber entered the Weaver residence through an unlocked basement door, armed with a shotgun. She crept upstairs to Barbara’s bedroom and fired, striking the woman in the heart while she slept. Detectives quickly unraveled the plot, leading to both conspirators’ arrests the following week. Raber was convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to 23 years to life, while Eli received a 15‑year‑to‑life sentence for complicity. In a final letter, Barbara quoted Christ: “Forgive him, for he knows not what he does.”
1 First Amish Conviction
On March 18, 1993, Edward Gingerich visited his chiropractor complaining of a headache. After a scalp massage and a recommendation to drink molasses, he returned to his northwestern Pennsylvania farm. Hours later, Gingerich brutally beat his wife, Katie, to death and proceeded to cut out her intestines. Their five‑year‑old son fled the scene, seeking help from his Uncle Daniel, who rode over on horseback only to find his brother standing over Katie’s lifeless body. Daniel rushed to a neighbor’s house to summon police.
Gingerich was later apprehended not at his farmhouse but wandering a country road with his three‑year‑old daughter and four‑year‑old son in tow. He told authorities he was possessed by the devil and fully aware his children were present during the gruesome act. Over a year later, he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter—the first Amish individual ever tried and sentenced for criminal homicide. He served his sentence until March 19, 1998, exactly five years and one day after the murder, when he was released and transferred to an Amish mental‑health facility in Michigan. After moving between several states, he returned to Pennsylvania in February 2007. Tragically, in January 2011, Gingerich took his own life by hanging himself from a barn ceiling beam.