Winter weather causes dozens of crashes, slide-offs

by Kelli Cheatham (kcheatham@wsbt.com)

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Bad weather conditions made a mess of roads around Michiana, and left drivers stranded. (WSBT photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Dec 1, 2008 at 9:13 PM EST

Story Updated: Dec 2, 2008 at 8:04 AM EST

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY — Slick roads caused dangerous driving conditions across the area Monday night. Local police said the snowy weather was to blame for dozens of slide-offs and crashes.

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Police scanners echoed the familiar sound of winter driving hazards.

"Respond to a rollover accident on the Bypass," one St. Joseph County Fire dispatcher told emergency crews.

"[Drivers] are going too fast for the weather conditions," said Indiana State Police Toll Road Trooper Gretchen Deal at the scene of a crash.

The driver of an SUV lost control of her car trying to merge onto the Toll Road at the Notre Dame plaza. A semi couldn't avoid hitting the SUV. Both were taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries.

Plows struggled to keep up with the falling snow most of the day and into the night.

Tow truck drivers couldn't catch a break.

"We started at 8 o'clock this morning," said Toot'n Tellem tow truck driver Ray Bush. "We ain't stopped yet."

And the crashes just kept coming in.

Blowing snow across rural roads made them especially dangerous, and very slick.

"My tire kind of got caught on the side and it started swerving back and forth and I slid off into the ditch," said Catelynn Lawson, who slid off Douglas Road in Harris Township.

A head-on crash closed Dragoon Trail between Ironwood and Logan. As a result, two people went to the hospital, but not with serious injuries.

"The roads are very slick. You just have to be careful when you're out here driving," said Indiana State Police Toll Road Trooper Gretchen Deal.

Tow truck driver Ray Bush worried some roads could be even worse by Tuesday morning.

"Once this stuff starts freezing, oh yeah," he said.

The most serious injuries reported were from a single vehicle crash near the intersection of State Road 23 and Cherry Road in Harris Township. That happened around 8:30 Monday night. County Police say at least one person was taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries.

Other than that police say most drivers were lucky, and not seriously hurt.

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