Winter storm blasts southwest Michigan

By Dustin Grove (grove@wsbt.com)

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One of the semis in a three-semi chain reaction crash near a few miles north of Stevensville (WSBT photo)

One of the semis in a three-semi chain reaction crash near a few miles north of Stevensville (WSBT photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Dec 10, 2009 at 5:35 PM EDT

Story Updated: Dec 10, 2009 at 5:53 PM EDT

BERRIEN COUNTY — On I-94 in Berrien County Thursday, drivers went nowhere fast.

“We’re dealing with high winds, very low visibility, blowing snow, and icy road conditions … just very nasty,” said Michigan State Police Trooper Dennis Diggs.

Diggs spent part of his morning at the scene of a three-semi chain reaction crash near a few miles north of Stevensville. State police reported more than a dozen semi trucks that either slid off the road or jack-knifed, causing long backups all morning.

Police estimated more than 40 car accidents and slide-offs, but no serious injuries.

On side roads, the blowing and drifting was even worse. On M-139 near the I-94 interchange, a Jeep Cherokee was barely visible except for the headlights still shining into the snow in a ditch. A women inside opened the door and said she’s been waiting for a tow truck for nearly an hour.

“I was just driving and I lost control of the car … it was a total whiteout,” she said.

“If you don’t have to go anywhere,” said Diggs, “stay at home.”

The National Weather Service said Thursday the storm has delivered up to 13.5 inches of snow to parts of southwest Michigan. An additional 12 inches is expected by Friday evening. More than 15 inches has fallen in northern lower Michigan and 1 to 4 inches in southeast Michigan.

Michigan State Police said a 58-year-old Hartford man died Wednesday in a single-vehicle crash related to bad weather in Van Buren County.

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