Winter Challenges Drivers

Cold may have replaced the frequent snowfalls in recent weeks, giving harried motorists and snowplow drivers a break from the poor visibility and growing snow piles along roads.
It has given law enforcement a break, too, from responding to auto accidents. Crash data from Chanhassen and Chaska indicate almost equal crashes between events when there has been 2 to 5 inches of snowfall and events there has been 8 to 11 inches of snowfall.

When there’s snow on the road, there are more auto accidents, according to statistics from both the Chaska Police Department and Carver County Sheriff’s Office.

 “The worse the roads get, the worse the visibility, the more accidents you’re going to have,” said Capt. Jon Kehrberg with the Chaska Police Department.

Big snow events in November got the season off to a crash-bang start. On Nov. 13, between 8 and 11 inches of powdery white stuff fell in Chaska and Chanhassen, and apparently caught by surprise many motorists who found themselves in the ditch or sliding into an accident. The heaviest crash total so far this season, 27, was in Chanhassen on Nov. 13.

There was no let-up in December. Numerous snowstorms buried the state, and December 2010 broke the state’s snowfall record for one month. On Dec. 26, the snow measured 33.4 inches deep at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.

Sgt. Peter Anderley, the Carver County Sheriff’s Office liaison in Chanhassen, said all that snow translated to extra work for deputies.

“December had quite an increase [in auto accidents] from last year to this year,” he said.
Although it would be easy to assume heavy snowfalls would make driving more treacherous, according to Anderley, light snowfalls tend to be just as dangerous because drivers tend to drive less cautiously.

“People look outside and say, ‘Oh, there’s only 1 inch of snow. The roads aren’t slippery.’ Then there are more cars out and more people driving at regular speeds on slippery roads,” he said.
The message from law enforcement to motorists every winter is “slow down.”

“Your visibility is down. We don’t know where the black ice is. Spend extra time getting to your destination during the winter months,” said Anderley.

So far this winter, there has been one auto accident fatality in Chanhassen. The fatality was reported by the Minnesota State Patrol. It took place during the Dec. 20-21 snowfall.

On Dec. 20, law enforcement all over the state was busy. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reported statewide from 3 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. there were 124 property damage crashes, 17 injury crashes, 324 vehicles off the road and no fatal crashes.

There have been no fatalities within Chaska this winter, but there was one just south of town on an icy Highway 41 on Jan. 3.

Between Nov. 13, 2010, and Jan. 14, 2011, the Chaska Police Department responded to two personal injury accidents. During the same time period, Carver County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to five personal injury accidents in Chanhassen.

Provided By: Chaska Herald
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Clean Up Crews at Work

ASHLAND, Ore. -- Crews working in Ashland Saturday were able to move the semi-truck that crashed into Bear Creek Thursday afternoon.

Now, they're placing sand bags around the contaminated area and removing less than 200 yards of cubic material.

Excavation will be done Sunday. The soil that's removed will be put in the median and hauled off on Monday.

Then more work has to be done, the area that's demolished they'll be replanting and rehabilitating.
Biologists were also downstream Saturday checking for any damage to the creek but they say it looks good.

They were mainly concerned about diesel entering Bear Creek from the accident but they were able to contain it before it made it there.

Crews will be continuing work all next week but do not anticipate affecting traffic.

Provided By: News 10 KTLV
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Vehicle Overturns

A two-car accident temporarily closed Route 322 in Hamilton Township on Wednesday night after a vehicle overturned.

Police said Virginia Nye, 27, of Vineland, was attempting to pass a vehicle when she lost control of her car during Wednesday's snow storm - and struck a pickup truck driven by Soren Hudyma, 26, of Landisville.

Hudyma's vehicle spun and struck a utility pole, police said, while Nye's car went off the road and overturned.

The road was closed for about 40 minutes.

Nye was transported to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Mainland Campus, in Galloway Township, for medical treatment.

Police issued Nye a ticket for careless driving.

Provided By: pressofatlanticcity.com
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Two Fatal Accidents

A T-bone car crash in Geneseo has killed one woman.

36-year-old Michelle Slack of Groveland, New York, was westbound on Country Club Road yesterday, according to Livingston County officials. Slack traveled through the intersection with Lima Road without heeding the stop sign. That’s when her car was rammed on the driver’s side door by a pick-up truck, driven by 29-year-old Patrick Moore of Leicester.

Slack’s car was pushed off the road into a field. She was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was in the car with her.

Moore received non-life threatening injuries. No charges have been filed.

---

And another fatality has resulted from an accident just to our north, in Albion.

49-year-old Sandra Marasco of Niagara Falls was involved in a motor vehicle accident last Friday, which remains under investigation.

Marasco was hospitalized at Erie County Medical Center after the Friday crash. This morning, she succumbed to her injuries was pronounced dead.

No word on what may have caused the crash, or if any charges will be forthcoming.

Provided By: WBTA AM 1490 
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Winter Weather Slams Traffic

In the southern state of Baden-Württemberg, a bakery delivery truck spun out of control and hit a snowplough head-on, severely injuring the driver.

A 71-year-old pedestrian in the neighbouring state of Bavaria was hit by a sliding van in Hof, suffering life-threatening head injuries. Police said the driver of the vehicle was unable to stop in time due to treacherous road conditions.

Meanwhile on the A71 motorway in Bavaria, police reported six auto accidents involving a total of 20 vehicles along a stretch of road just a few hundred metres long. Twelve people were injured, with five hospitalized, among them a five-year-old child.

Winter weather also caused an accident between a train and a tractor trailer truck in Bavaria’s Upper Palatinate region. The collision injured the train driver and one of his 30 passengers, along with the truck driver.

In the central German state of Saxony, police reported an accident along the A72 where a car rolled after hitting another vehicle, then landed on another. The 24-year-old driver sustained severe injuries, they said.

In Hesse, a 35-year-old driver was also severely injured when he lost control of his car and landed in a ditch, hitting a drain pipe.

Police estimated that accidents had caused hundreds of thousands of euros in damage by mid-morning.

A cold front blowing over Germany from Ireland is expected to bring chilly temperatures and snow to southern and eastern Germany in the coming days. Areas above between 200 and 400 metres in altitude should expect “light to moderate” accumulation and slippery road conditions, DWD meteorologist Thomas Ruppert said.

High temperatures for Wednesday will range between 0 and 4 degrees Celsius, with scattered snow showers set to continue overnight as temperatures drop to between -2 and -9 degrees.

Eastern Germany and southern mid-range mountains will see more snow on Thursday, which will be slightly colder at between -2 and 2 degrees.

Snowflakes are likely to fall again on Friday when chilly temperatures will prevail, dropping as low as -15 overnight.

But by Saturday conditions are likely to improve, Ruppert said, with just a few snowflakes and partly cloudy conditions.

Provided By: The Local: German News in English
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Fatal Trucking Accident

Yuma, AZ January 25 -- A man police say is responsible for causing a three car accident in the Desert Southwest is dead.

The accident happened Tuesday morning and police say the driver of a Chevrolet pick-up ran a stop sign at Avenue B and 23rd street and hit another Chevy truck. The second truck then hit a jeep waiting to turn left onto 23^rd Street.

Avenue B between 20th and 24th Street was closed to through traffic for several hours as Yuma police investigated the accident. A witness at the scene of the accident tells News 13 the man driving the brown Chevy pick-up was driving kind of reckless and going up on the curb and then failed to stop and hit the black Chevy truck.

There were two people inside the second truck that police say collided with the Jeep and two people were inside the Jeep. Sgt. Clint Norred, with the Yuma Police Department says, "The one male driver that was driving the truck that ran the stop sign later died at the hospital, the other four remaining folks that were transported were still being treated but they were reported to not have any life threatening injuries."
Police say the accident is still in the early stages of its investigation. Blood work will be taken to determine if the driver accused of running the stop sign was drunk or high. Anyone with information about the accident is encouraged to contact the Yuma Police Department.

The identity of the deceased man will not be release until his family is notified.

Provided By: KSWT 13 News
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Seven Car Pile Up

Police said Guy E. Riedenger, 57, of Hopewell Junction, was driving north in a 2008 Dodge pick-up truck struck a 2005 Subaru sedan driven by Jonathon E. Katz, 42, of Gardiner. Police said the sedan then spun in the roadway.

The pick-up truck slowed suddenly and was struck by another vehicle, police said. According to police, that vehicle spun and struck a rock wall along the side of the roadway.

Police said four more vehicles either struck that vehicle or one another while trying to avoid that vehicle.
The incident occurred at about 7:15 p.m. on Jan. 21, police said.

Police said Daniel P. Jaeger, 38, of Brooklyn, who was the driver of one vehicle involved, received a minor laceration to his head when his airbag deployed. Police said he was treated at Putnam Hospital and released.


Both the northbound and southbound lanes were partially closed for about two hours while emergency vehicles responded to the incident and debris were cleared from the roadway, police said.

According to police, Riedenger, whose truck was equipped with a snowplow, was ticked for several violations, police said.

Provided By: Poughkeepsie Journal
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Pig Truck Accident

Drivers on one Kansas City Highway may have been a bit baffled to see nearly fifty pigs running loose this past Monday.

A truck carrying 720 pigs from Springfield, MO to Iowa overturned on the ramp from I-435 North to I-35 North in Kansas City, MO. KMBC reports that the driver rounded a curve too fast and lost control of his vehicle. He was wearing a seatbelt and was uninjured, but up to 50 pigs escaped from the vehicle.
The pigs ran everywhere, with crews trying to corral them. As Highway Patrol Sgt. Rick Fletcher describes, "They just kind of wandered around in the roadway; obviously they go every which way but the way we wanted them go."

No pigs were injured running in traffic, but a few pigs were killed in the wreck. It's unclear whether these pigs were being brought to a slaughterhouse, where they would still be killed, just not in a motor vehicle accident.

Provided By: The Huffington Post
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Tragic Dump Truck Accident

A well-known fashion stylist was killed instantly when a garbage truck hit her about a block away from her home on New York’s Upper East Side.


The Daily Mail reports that Laurence Renard was crossing First Avenue at East 90th Street when the truck made a sharp left onto the avenue and hit her. Passersby waved traffic around Renard’s body until an ambulance arrived, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Renard is perhaps best known as a stylist for Victoria’s Secret. She also styled advertising campaigns for Abercrombie and Fitch shot by Bruce Weber, who released a statement saying that Renard “was a really lovely girl, who just had a lot of good energy and excitement about working in the fashion industry.”

Investigators arrested the garbage truck’s driver, 23-year-old Diego Tapia-Ulloa, on suspicion of not having a valid license. An eyewitness told the Mail that he rounded the corner so fast that Renard “never saw it coming. She didn’t stand a chance.”

Renard split her time between her work in New York and her family in Miami. She was 35 years old.

Provided By: styleite.com
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Crash Claims Two Teens

Two people, both Tremont High School students, were killed and 11 others were injured Saturday in a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 74 involving a pickup truck and a bus carrying the school’s girls’ basketball team.

None of the team members was seriously injured in the accident, which officials suspect was related to weather conditions. Eight of them and an adult in the bus, however, were taken by ambulance for hospital treatment.

Pronounced dead at the scene were Michael Honan II, 18, and Celine Estes, 17. Honan was the driver of the pickup and Estes was a passenger in its back seat. Both were seniors at Tremont, McLean County Coroner Beth Kimmerling said Saturday night.

Two other passengers in the pickup were also injured in the accident, which took place at 8:40 a.m. at mile post 124. The identities and conditions of the injured victims were unavailable Saturday night.
The pickup was heading west on I-74 when Honan apparently lost control, according to Kimmerling. The vehicle skidded across the median and clipped the rear of an eastbound semi-truck before crashing into the school bus, she said.

“Weather may have played a factor” in the crash, Kimmerling said. Snow that had fallen earlier Saturday morning and several other accidents, all minor, had also taken place in the general area, she said. The accident remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police Department.

The two other pickup passengers were transported to Advocate BroMenn Regional Medical Center in Normal, while the injured bus passengers were taken to OSF Saint Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington.

The team was headed to Heyworth to play in the McLean County Tournament.

Provided By: perkintimes.com
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Dozens of Icy Accidents

Icy highways were causing major problems for motorists in Saskatchewan on the weekend, with slippery conditions, accidents and stuck vehicles widespread of the province.

The worst of the accidents occurred Saturday on Highway 312 about eight kilometres east of Rosthern.
One person died and two people were taken to hospital with undisclosed injuries.

Just south of Glaslyn on Sunday night, there was sheet ice on a 10-kilometre stretch of the Highway 4 and several vehicles were in the ditch.

About 75 kilometres west of Moose Jaw, semi-trailers were backed up on the Trans-Canada Highway for several kilometres on Secroten Hill thanks to icy conditions that brought traffic to a crawl.

A lane on the Trans-Canada was also blocked just west of Grenfell, when a semi was involved in a minor accident and ended up in the ditch.

The RCMP said highway conditions were "very poor" over a wide area, with more than 40 accidents reported on Sunday.

Provided By: CBC News
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Semi Hits Stalled Car

 It was a close call on the Toll Road for the second day in a row.

A car stalled on the shoulder was side-swiped by a semi in St. Joseph County Thursday night. It happened just before 11:15 p.m. in the eastbound lanes at mile marker 63.5, near the South Bend west exit.

The car driver had experienced mechanical failure and pulled over onto the shoulder. That's when a semi-truck hit her car.

Luckily, the driver had moved into the passenger seat of the car and wasn't injured. The truck driver was also okay.

Just the day before though, another stalled car was hit while sitting on the shoulder. This time it happened in the eastbound lanes, near the Elkhart exit.

A semi veered off the road and right into the back of the car. Again, no one was seriously hurt.
These two accidents bring a reminder to drivers to move into the left-hand lane, if possible, when passing a vehicle pulled over to the side of the road. If you can't move over, at least slow down.

Provided By: WNDU.com
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Fatal Bridge Accident

What started as a minor car accident turned fatal Friday morning.  The crash happened on the bridges approaching the Poplar Street Bridge.  According to St. Louis police two cars were involved in a minor car accident on the I-55 ramp to the bridge. The two accident victims got out to exchange insurance information when a third car lost control and struck on of the accident victims.

That person went over the bridge and died.

The person ejected from the car landed on the ground, about 20 feet beneath the bridge.  There were multiple other accidents on the bridge as they approached the fatal accident.

Provided By: Fox 2 News St. Louis
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20 year Old Charged in Fatal Crash

STERLING HEIGHTS — Police say a woman who isn’t even legally old enough to drink was intoxicated when she attempted to pass another vehicle on Dequindre Jan. 16, triggering a three-car accident that left another woman dead.

According to Sterling Heights police, a 20-year-old woman from Royal Oak was traveling southbound on Dequindre, just south of 19 Mile, in a Chevrolet Trailblazer around 12:18 a.m. when she tried to pass a Mazda sedan also heading south. The Trailblazer collided head-on with a Ford Ranger pickup truck that had been traveling north on Dequindre, then struck the Mazda as well.

The Sterling Heights Fire Department had to extricate the Ranger's driver — later identified as Annette Eileen Evans, 53, of Richmond — due to the severity of the damage. Evans was transported to Beaumont Hospital, Troy, where she was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Because of the extensive damage, it wasn’t immediately known whether Evans was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, said Lt. Luke Riley of the Sterling Heights Police Department.

The drivers of the Trailblazer and the Mazda were not injured, and none of the vehicles involved in the crash held any passengers, according to police.

The Trailblazer's driver, whom police identified as Kelley Marie Nagle, was arrested at the scene. She was arraigned before Magistrate Michael Piatek in 41-A District Court Jan. 18 on charges of operating while intoxicated causing death and operating while intoxicated – second offense notice.

“It’s still OWI,” explained Riley, “but because it’s a second offense, the penalties are enhanced.”
OWI – causing death is a 15-year felony; OWI – second offense is a 1-year misdemeanor, he said.
Nagle’s bond was set at $100,000 or 10 percent with the caveat that, if released, she must wear a GPS tether and avoid alcohol and driving.

Court officials said Nagle had retained an attorney, D. Todd Williams, who could not be reached by press time, as his voicemail was full and not accepting messages. Nagle’s preliminary exam was set for Jan. 31 before Judge Stephen Sierawski.

Dequindre was shut down for three hours between 18 Mile and 19 Mile while police conducted an accident investigation.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call the Sterling Heights Police Department at (586) 446-2800.

Provided By: C & G News 
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Four Car Accident on I-55

On January 13^th at 3:00pm a four car accident occurred in St. Louis County southbound on Interstate 55 North of Union. Troop C of the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the accident.  The accident began when a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt driven by Sally Cabbot (64) lost control while switching lanes.  After losing control Ms. Cabbot’s vehicle was struck by a 1997 Geo Metro driven by Janice Kuhlman-Brown (49).  After being struck by Ms. Kuhlman-Brown’s vehicle Ms. Cabbot’s Chevrolet then collided with the median barrier.

After colliding with the median barrier Ms. Cabbot’s vehicle was then hit by a 2001 Ford F-150 driven by John Stumpf (45).  Mr. Stumpf’s truck was then hit by a 1999 Ford Expedition driven by Brent Morelan (37).  Both Mr. Stumpf’s Ford F-150 and Ms. Cabbot’s Chevrolet Cobalt were totaled in the accident.  The Geo Metro driven by Ms. Kuhlman-Brown and the Ford Expedition driven by Mr. Morelan were moderately damaged.  Ms. Cabbot was taken by ambulance to St. Anthony’s Medical Center  with moderate injuries.
Multiple car accidents can be especially dangerous, so I am glad to see that injuries in this particular accident were minimal.  However just because someone may not have any surface injuries at the time of the accident does not mean their body didn’t suffer the consequences of such violent collisions.  Often times injuries in accidents such as this may not reveal themselves until weeks after the accident.  This is just one of many things to consider after you’ve been involved in Missouri auto accident.  If you have been in an accident recently request my free Missouri Injury Guide so that you know the steps to take and the mistakes to avoid following an accident.

Provided By: http://www.themissouriinjuryblog.com/
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Wreaks Pile Up

The number of highway fatalities in Utah continues to fall. The 2010 figures, released last week, showed 235 deaths statewide, the lowest number recorded since 1974. That's remarkable considering the state's population growth since then. It also ought to blast forever the notion that higher speed limits on well-engineered, modern highways will translate into more deaths.

Utah's speed limits have crept higher ever since the federally imposed 55 mph limit was removed in 1987. One section of I-15 through central Utah now has an 80 mph posted limit. It is one of only two such areas in the country, the other being in Texas. And yet this strip has produced no increase in carnage, as some had predicted. Freeways in the state's metro areas have 65 mph limits, and interstates through most rural areas allow up to 75 mph — and still the rate continues to fall each year.

Click to enlarge 

Traffic on 215 East heading towards Salt Lake City is slow. Traffic was completely shut down on 215 eastbound at the 6200 South exit due to this auto/truck accident on August 18, 2010. 

If you're old enough, try to remember how it once was. Before each major holiday, the National Safety Council would issue a press release predicting the number of people who would die in auto accidents. In 1965, for example, 720 deaths occurred nationwide over the Christmas weekend, which was a record at the time. These days, no one predicts highways deaths. It's hard to keep up a macabre interest in such things when the numbers keep dropping.

Officials attribute the drop to an increase in seat belt usage. This may well be a factor. Well-designed vehicles and highways also factor in, however. Well-designed highways allow people to move faster while compensating for judgment errors. We're not hearing anyone say that drivers are better today than they were in years past, but an aging population may in fact be contributing to the trend, as well.

The 80 mph section of I-15 seems to demonstrate that all roads have a natural speed limit — one that drivers will find on their own regardless of the law. A study of that strip in 2009 showed that drivers maintained the same average speed there that they held in the 75 mph zones — a speed, by the way, that was between 81 mph and 85 mph. They didn't speed up just because the posted limit went higher.
This trend toward fewer fatalities should add some perspective to the concerns over an increase in cell phone usage and other distractions behind the wheel — perspective, but not ease. As recent snowstorms have shown, too many drivers cause accidents through inattentiveness and reckless behavior. It's also sobering to realize that 235 people lost their lives on Utah roads last year — a figure that, if it were attributed to some new disease, would be dominating public discourse.
It is good to have highway fatalities on the run. Now the trick is to keep it running.

Provided By: Descrete News
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Trailer Truck Jacknifes

A jackknifed tractor-trailer truck in Charlton has closed part of the Mass Pike, according to state police.

State police Sgt. Matthew Murray said the truck jackknifed at the 82.6 mile marker in the westbound lane in Charlton.

Murray said significant delays can be expected and encouraged commuters to find alternate routes.

No further details were immediately available. Single-car and two-car accidents have plagued the roadways this morning, slowing traffic but causing no injuries and little damage, Murray said.

Provided By: Malaysia Sun
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Fatal Crash at Routine Stop

North Tulsa- It all started with a minor traffic violation and ended with a fatal wreck in a North Tulsa neighborhood. Police say the male driver of a silver Grand Am ran a stop sign near the 3900 block of Pittsburgh and Admiral. When an officer tried to pull him over, he sped off. TPD says the road was slick and there was heavy fog so he didn't give chase. It was just after 1 this morning.

As the officer was calling in the description of the car, a 911 call came in about a car that had just crash landed in a home's front yard. It was the car that had just ran the stop sign.That was along the 800 block of North Louisville.  TPD believes the car hit a pile of dirt which launched him into a parked truck. He then flipped over and crash landed. He died on impact.

The family that lives at the home where this happened called 911. The driver's name has not been released.

Provided By: Fox 23
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Deadly Weekend

MOBILE, Ala. -- Three automobile accidents claimed the lives of four people -- including an 8-year-old girl -- over a 13-hour stretch Saturday and Sunday in Mobile County, according to Alabama State Troopers.

A two-vehicle collision on U.S. 45 near Roberts Road in Chunchula about 5:50 p.m. Saturday killed two women and injured the driver of one of the vehicles, spokeman Trooper Greg Eubanks said
Georgia P. Pugh, 73, and Donna Landi, 53, who traveled in a 2009 Honda Accord, were pronounced dead at the scene.  The driver, Otto H. Ludwig III, 73, was injured and treated at University of South Alabama Medical Center, Eubanks said.

Anita Durham, 50, of Chunchula, the driver of the 2007 Suzuki XL7 sport utility vehicle, was not injured. The three people in the Accord were all from Mobile.

Eubanks said that Ludwig was driving north on U.S. 45, crossed the center line and struck Durham’s southbound SUV. Ludwig then lost control of the Accord, which ran off the road, hit a utility pole and overturned, Eubanks said.

Landi, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the Accord, according to Eubanks.
Less than an hour later, at 6:30 p.m., 8-year-old Maliyah Hollingsworth died in a two-car collision on Three Notch Road near Quimby Drive in Tillman’s Corner, Eubanks said.

Hollingsworth was a passenger in a 2006 Mazda 6 driven by 18-year-old Cody D. Evans of Mobile. Eubanks said the girl was not wearing a seat belt.

Neither Evans nor the driver of the 2000 Chevrolet Camaro -- identified as Chance Ollhoft, 21, of Mobile -- were injured in the collision.  Ollhoft's two passengers -- Darryll Blackmon, 21, and Justin Allen, 21, both of Mobile -- also escaped injury.

Eubanks said the cause of the accident remains under investigation. Hollingsworth was taken to University of South Alabama Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
About 7:05 a.m. Sunday, 34-year-old Charles William Catterton of Satsuma was killed when his pickup truck ran off Maddox Road, Eubanks said.

Maddox Road runs south off Roberts Road about 12 miles south of Citronelle.
Eubanks said Catterton was wearing a seat belt in his 1997 Chevrolet pickup when it left the road and overturned. Catterton was taken to University of South Alabama Medical Center and died there, Eubanks said.


Provided By: al.com
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UW Student in Fatal Crash

A UW junior was killed in a car crash in Northern Wisconsin last Wednesday after a car she was the passenger in collided with a semi.

Anna Shoemaker, 20, suffered severe head injuries on Jan. 12 when a car driven by a friend collided with a semitrailer near the intersection of U.S. Highway 63 and Old U.S. 63 in Bayfield County, according to a report from the Bayfield County Sheriff’s Department.

The report said the driver of the car, traveling south, lost control and crossed into the northbound traffic lane. Icy conditions may have caused the crash.

After the 7:53 a.m. accident, Shoemaker was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Duluth, Minn., where she was listed in critical condition. She was pronounced dead from severe head injuries at 1 p.m.
“We’re deeply saddened by the loss of two members of our community as we begin this spring semester,” Dean of Students Lori Berquam said in a statement regarding the death of Shoemaker and another student.

The driver of the car was transported to the Memorial Medical Center in Ashland, Wis., and was listed in stable condition, the report said. Both women were originally from Hudson, a Wisconsin city on the Mississippi River not far from Minneapolis. The 51-year-old semi driver sustained no injuries from the accident.

Shoemaker’s family set up a CaringBridge website for friends and family to post and share memories of their departed friend.

“Anna was our pride and joy,” a statement on the website said. “Please pray for us as we rely on God to bring us peace.”

The website adds Shoemaker was an organ donor, and after her death her heart, liver, one lung, kidneys and pancreas were donated to people in Minnesota — helping save the lives of six people.
“Wonderful news…,” the statement said. “Anna lives on through them.”

A funeral is set for Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 10 a.m. at the Faith Community Church in Hudson, 777 Carmichael Road. Attendees are being asked to wear red Badger gear to celebrate Shoemaker’s love for the team.

Provided By: The Badger Herald
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4 Car Pile Up

Two men were killed in a four-vehicle accident early Saturday in northwest Harris County.
Investigators said Denzel Holmes was stopped at a traffic light at FM 1960 and Perry about 2 a.m. when a brown Ford pickup rear-ended his Ford F-150 truck. The driver of the brown pickup, identified by Harris County Sheriff’s deputies as Mark Spoonts, also died. Deputies said he was not wearing a seat belt. A passenger in Holmes’ truck was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital with serious injuries. That person’s identity and condition were not released. After the initial impact, Holmes’ truck struck a red Chevrolet Monte Carlo stopped at the light in front of it. The driver of that car was treated for injuries and released. After hitting Holmes’ truck, Spoonts’ vehicle struck a Toyota Camry in the adjacent lane. The driver of the Camry was not hurt.

Provided By: Charon News
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Local Hero

Until Saturday, the daughters of 77-year-old Donald Searson didn't know who saved their father from his wrecked and burning log truck.
 
“God’s got a special place for you,” one daughter told Joseph Brown.

“I’ll never forget him as long as I live,” another added

Saturday the sister met Joseph Brown.  Brown pulled their father out of his wrecked log truck Wednesday. According to the women, Searson was driving on Highway 61 near Cottageville when he lost control, ran down the embankment and flipped.

 Brown said he didn’t think twice about climbing into the wreckage and pulling the man out.
“I was just glad to be there in the moment,” Brown explains. “I drive a truck too.  That could have been me,” he continued.

The women said Searson is doing better Saturday.  He is still in critical condition at the Medical University of South Carolina with broken legs, ribs, and back.  He still can’t talk.

Provided By: WCBD-TV Charleston News
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Propane Truck Accident

MT. AIRY, Md. - Interstate 70 in Mount Airy near Ridge Road has been reopened after crews cleaned up a propane truck accident.

According to Mt. Airy volunteer fire department spokesman Doug Alexander, the truck, carrying about 8600 gallons of liquid propane fuel ended up in a median on it's side on Route 70 near the exits for Ridge Road Sunday morning.

The Maryland State Police said that the tanker truck driver, James Riley Hooper, 42, lost control of the truck and it turned onto the drivers side.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash, and none of the liquid propane was found to have leaked from the truck.

Hooper and his passenger, Glenn Arnold Novack, 55, were taken to area hospitals, but neither patient has life-threatening injuries.

The initial investigation has revealed that driver error was the primary cause of the crash.

Hazmat crews as well as personnel from multiple fire departments and Maryland State Police worked the scene.

Traffic in both directions was shutdown for about five and one-half hours.

Provided By:ABC Channel 2
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Semi Accident Kills One Man

VINCENNES, Ind. — A Georgia man was killed in a semi-truck accident near Vincennes, Ind., on Thursday morning, according to a Knox County Sheriff’s Department news release.
Johnny W. Norman, 62, was pronounced dead at the scene when police found his semi overturned on U.S. 41 near U.S. 50 about 1:59 a.m.

Officials said Norman was traveling north on U.S. 41 when, for an undetermined reason, he went off the right shoulder, re-entered the highway, went off the left shoulder and then overturned.
Norman’s vehicle was the only one involved in the accident. He was from Covington, Ga.

Provided By: courierpress.com
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Crash Vicitm in Bayfield Dies

Two people were injured in a car-semi truck accident shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday.
The Bayfield County Sheriff's Department responded to U.S. Highway 63 just in the town of Grand View, just north of the village. According to a news release issued late Wednesday, it appeared that a vehicle traveling south on highway 63 lost control and crossed into the oncoming lane of travel and struck a semi, traveling north on highway 63.

The driver of the car, 20-year-old Elizabeth Burns, was transported to Memorial Medical Center in Ashland and is listed in stable condition. The passenger of the car, 20-year-old Anna Shoemaker, was air lifted from the scene by Life Link helicopter and taken to Essentia Health St. Mary’s in Duluth where she later died of her injuries.

Shoemaker's parents want friends to know a Caring Bridge web site has been set up in her honor.
The semi driver, 51 year old Arden Weber of Bayfield, was uninjured.

The occupants from the car are from the Hudson, Wis., area and were returning after visiting friends in the Ashland area. The accident remains under investigation. Names and other information will be released later today.

Mason Fire and Ambulance Service, Grand View Fire Department, Great Divide Ambulance Service, Wisconsin State Patrol and Life Link Medical Helicopter, and deputies from the sheriff’s department provided aid to the victims.

Provided By: Surperior Telegram
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Man Killed in Missouri Accident

Springfield, MO: A Springfield man died recently in a Missouri Truck Accident on Interstate 44 when his vehicle collided head-on with a Freightliner, the Springfield News Leader reports.

Joseph W. Russell, 31, was reportedly the first traffic fatality in the Missouri Highway Patrol's Troop D area in 2011, according to the news provider.

According to the Highway Patrol, Russell was driving east in the westbound lane of I-44 about one half mile west of Springfield just before 7:00 am when his Ford Edge vehicle collided with the Freightliner.

Both of the vehicles reportedly then went into the median and caught fire, according to the highway patrol. Russell was pronounced dead at 6:57 am.

Douglas Carmack, 31, the truck driver, was uninjured in the crash and no tickets have been issued. According to the highway patrol's report, both of the drivers were wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2009 there were 878 traffic fatalities in the state of Missouri.

Provided By: lawyersandsettlements.com

Four Car Accident Cinncinati

CINCINNATI - Light snow is still falling in some parts of the Tri-State, causing the roads to remain slick.

Check here for live updates on road conditions, traffic delays and accident reports around the region.
1:40 p.m. - Crash on southbound I-71at I-275.

11 a.m. - Part of EB I-74 near the 160 mile marker in Dearborn County remains closed after a FedEx tractor-trailer lost control and jackknifed on the roadway. Crews have not given an estimate of when it will be cleared. Drivers can expect heavy delays when headed in this direction.

10 a.m. - No major accidents reported around the Tri-State at this time.

9:10 a.m. - Most accidents have been cleared, but one remains on SB I-75 at Ronald Reagan Highway.

8:40 a.m. - Crews have removed the semi from NB I-75 at Highway 123 and the roadway has been reopened.

8:07 a.m. - Two vehicles have collided on WB I-74 at the 9 mile marker.

7:55 a.m. - NB I-71 at highway 123 is closed while crews remove an overturned semi from that area. No word on when it will be reopened and delays can be expected.

7:40 a.m. - Conditions on River Road continue to be unpredictable. An accident has been reported there at Bender Road.

7:35 a.m. - A disabled vehicle is blocking the right shoulder of EB SR 126 at I-75.

7:20 a.m. - The on-ramp from Hamilton Avenue to EB I-275 has been reopened.

7 a.m. - Dispatchers in Warren County report nine accidents this morning on NB I-71. Drivers should be extra cautious when traveling in this area.

6:45 a.m. - Another semi has reportedly jackknifed on NB I-71 at the 32.5 mile marker in Warren County at Wilmington Road. It is in the median and not causing any significant traffic delays, but drivers are reminded to leave plenty of space between vehicles, especially larger vehicles like semis, plows or salt trucks.

6:44 a.m. - The on-ramp from Hamilton Avenue to EB I-275 is closed due to an accident. Drivers are reminded that conditions of on- and off-ramps will likely be worse than the roads they lead to and from. Proceed with caution.

6:37 a.m. - A disabled vehicle is blocking the right lane and shoulder on EB I-275 in Ohio at the 72.4 mile marker. Drivers can expect delays when traveling in this direction.

6:30 a.m. - Slick spots still popping up. A tractor-trailer has overturned on NB I-71 at exit 28 in Warren County. The highway is shut down at this time. Police have not released when it might be reopened.

5:50 a.m. - A car lost control and is blocking the shoulder on NB I-71 at the 12.9 mile marker. Highways are wet and drivers should still travel cautiously.

Wednesday 4:45 a.m. - Roads are looking clearer, but are still wet and icy in many areas. No major accidents have been reported and drivers should still be on the lookout for poor conditions on secondary roads.

9:50 p.m. - Four car accident on southbound I-71 between Kings Island and Fields Ertel Road.

8:02 p.m. -  Accident on southbound 1-71 south of Montgomery.

6:57 p.m. - Crash on northbound I-75 north of Shepherd Lane.

6:51 p.m. -Accident on southbound I-75 at Paddock Road.

6:42 p.m. - There is a large pothole on southbound I-471 approaching I-275 in the left lane.

6:11 p.m. - Crews are still on the scene of the multi-vehicle crash on westbound I-275 at Ronald
Reagan.

6:09 p.m. - Accident on Corbly Road at Clough Pike.

6:08 p.m. - Crash on Anderson Ferry Road at Hillside Avenue.

5:46 p.m. -  Three-vehicle accident on Montgomery Road at Pfeiffer Road.

5:43 p.m. - Multiple-vehicle crash on westbound I-275 at the Ronald Reagan Highway.

5:03 p.m. - Ramp has reopened from southbound I-75/71 to eastbound I-275.

5:01 p.m. - Crash on southbound I-71, south of Montgomery Road.

4:58 p.m. - Accident on westbound I-275 at Turkeyfoot in the left lane.

1:53 p.m. - There are multiple accidents on the ramp from southbound I-71 to I-471.

1:50 p.m. - Jackknifed tractor trailer has been cleared from I-471 in Campbell County.

1:28 p.m. - Injury accident reported at Pippin and Springdale roads.

1:21 p.m. - Two lanes of southbound I-275 at US Highway 27 are blocked after an accident.

12:20 p.m. - The right lane and shoulder are blocked after two vehicles collided on the ramp from SB I-71 to I-471. Many roads are still not cleared of the snow and ice, but 9 News crews at various spots in the Tri-State report them improving slightly.

11:35 a.m. - A semi has jackknifed on WB I-275 near I-471 in Ky. It is blocking two lanes in that area and drivers can expect delays.

11:23 a.m. - The overturned tanker in Grant County has been removed from the highway and traffic can pass, but the road conditions are still unpredictable and drivers should travel slowly.

10:59 a.m. - Most secondary road accidents have been cleared, but streets remain slick and snow-covered. Proceed with caution on any road that your travels take you.

10:40 a.m. - Accidents have been reported at the 10.5 mile marker of SB I-71 where the right shoulder is blocked, on EB I-275 at the 43.8 mile marker where the left lane

and shoulder are blocked and on WB I-275 at the 35.4 mile marker west of Hamilton Avenue.

10:25 a.m. -  A semi has crashed on EB I-275, blocking two lanes and the right shoulder at the 41.2 mile marker. Drivers can expect delays in this area.

10:01 a.m. - Many secondary roads in the Cincinnati area have reports of accidents. Those reported have been on 9th Street at Main Street, 7th Street at Central Avenue, Central Parkway at Ravine Street, Eden Avenue at Martin Luther King Drive, Winton Road at Gray Road, Red Bank Road at Madison Road, Montgomery Road at Woodmont Avenue, Argus Road at Addice Way, Dana Avenue at Winding Way and Erie Avenue at Roslyn Avenue.

9:53 a.m. - Two accidents have been reported on I-275. One at the 36.3 mile marker of WB I-275 that is blocking both shoulders and two lanes west of Hamilton Avenue. The other is blocking one lane and the right shoulder at the 72 mile marker of WB I-275 at Kellogg Avenue.

9:44 a.m. - River Road on the West Side is reportedly very dangerous to navigate. Conditions are poor and the roads are slick. Drivers in this area should proceed with extreme caution.

9:35 a.m. - A tanker truck has jackknifed at the 149.5 mile marker of SB I-75 in Dry Ridge, Ky. The tanker was empty at the time of the crash and it has half the highway blocked in this area. No time estimate has been made for when it will be cleared.

9:31 a.m. - All accidents on EB I-275 in Ohio have been cleared. This roadway remains extremely slick and snow-covered. Exercise caution if you have to travel on this highway.

9:29 a.m. - Metro reports all service is operating with delays on routes 24, 39, 32, 1 and 31. To check on Metro's schedule delays and snow routes, visit http://www.sorta.com/ .

9:26 a.m. - Two crashes have been reported in Kentucky: The right lane and shoulder are blocked at the 4 mile marker of WB I-275 and the two right lanes and shoulder are blocked at the 185.8 mile marker before Buttermilk on SB I-71/75.

9:21 a.m. - ARTIMIS reports two crashes on SB I-71, one at I-275 and the other south of Fields Ertel. Fortunately no major injuries have been reported throughout the morning in an of these crashes.

9:16 a.m. - An accident has been reported on SB I-75 at Paddock Road in Ohio. In Kentucky, a car is blocking the right shoulder on I-71/75 at the 190.2 mile marker. The Cut-in-the-Hill is very difficult to navigate and if you must travel in this direction, use extreme caution.

9:10 a.m. - I-275 in Ohio is not looking easy to navigate. A crash has been reported on EB I-275 in Sharonville at the Reed Hartman Highway exit and two accidents are being reported on EB I-275 after Winton Road in Forest Park.

9:00 a.m. - Road conditions have deteriorated significantly around the region. Eleven accidents have been reported on Cincinnati-area secondary roads. Drivers need to exercise caution when traveling on these roads.

8:50 a.m. - Accidents have been reported on WB I-74 at Rybolt Road and on EB I-275 in Ohio at Lebanon Road. Drivers should travel slower on the highways and allow plenty of space between vehicles.

8:40 a.m. - The snow is really beginning to affect Tri-State highways. Two accidents have been reported on SB I-75, one at Shepherd Lane and one at Galbraith Road.

Provided By: kypost.com

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Motorists Effected by Weather

January 12, 2011 (MICHIGAN CITY, Ind.) (WLS) -- Snowfall in northwest Indiana caused white-out conditions and accidents Wednesday morning, forcing lane closures on Interstate 94 and the Indiana Toll Road. 

The snow let up Wednesday night.

But some areas of LaPorte County got about a foot of lake-effect snow, and residents are busy digging out.

The snow brought traffic to a standstill on westbound I-94, near Michigan City.

"We've been waiting about an hour, hour and a half. And it's tough, really tough," said motorist John Scranfeld.

"It's terrible. And it's not getting any better because they can't get no plows through here. So it's like, what are you going to do?" said motorist Charles Brandenburg.

The backup, which stretched for miles, began shortly after 9 a.m. when officials say white-out conditions left vehicles and a handful of semi trucks stranded.

"We're seeing this problem where it just dumps the snow on a particular area and just makes the travel real treacherous, so we're just asking people to really slow down, take their time," said Jim Pinkerton with the Indiana Department of Transportation.

Driver Michelle Alfred heeded that advice.

She pulled over to avoid an accident, only to get stuck in heavy snow.

"It happened really fast. The snow was really heavy. It was a white-out, and you really couldn't see," Alfred said.

After about an hour and a half, traffic started flowing again as crews worked quickly to clear the interstate.

"Well, we're about two hours behind schedule right now. So what do you expect? It's winter, right?" said Sandy Kreiser.

Professor Kim Clark was supposed to be teaching at DePaul University.

"A lot of kids are going to be really happy that they got out of class this morning," Clarks said.
Classes were canceled altogether at several schools in LaPorte County, where some places received up to a foot of snow.

"It was just a complete white-out. You couldn't see nothing. I couldn't even see my plow in front of my truck, that's how bad it was," said snow remover Michele Blackwell.

School teacher Don Thompson got a snow day but ended up working harder.

"I blew some snow, came back out about a half hour later, and it was a lot then too. So it was coming pretty quick," Thompson said.

In addition to the problems on I-94, there were numerous accidents reported on the Indiana toll road, including an overturned semi truck Wednesday morning. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries associated with those crashes.

Provided By: ABC 7 News

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Tragic Accident

Railroads have played a large role in the growth of the United States. Where railroad tracks cross roadways have played a role in many accidents, some of them fatal. Tracks and a crossing were involved Wednesday morning when a Texas trucker lost his life.

The Middle Road railroad crossing in the city of Dunkirk was the scene as the operator of the semi truck, Randolph Todd, 51, of Shepherd, Texas, failed to get across the tracks before an Amtrak passenger train hit his rig and killed him.

There are laws regarding crossings, both for railroads and drivers. Unfortunately for Todd, and other drivers who have been hit by trains, trains don't lose. Even if you're familiar with the crossing, as Todd was after making several deliveries to the Ralston Purina facility, there is little margin for error.

"This terrible tragedy should serve as a reminder regarding the dangers of driving around railroad gates that are down, and also that it is a violation of law under the New York State Vehicle & Traffic Law to do so," Dunkirk Police Chief David Ortolano said Wednesday after the tragedy.

Article 29 Section 1170 is titled "Obedience to signal indicating approach of train."

"Whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing under any of the circumstances stated in this section, the driver of such vehicle shall stop not less than fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely," it states in part.

It also states: "No person shall drive any vehicle through, around, or under any crossing gate or barrier at a railroad crossing while such gate or barrier is closed or is being opened or closed."

Fines for a first conviction are not less than $150 nor more than $250, or imprisonment for not more than 30 days or a combination of both. A second conviction within a period of 18 months will net a fine of not less than $350 nor more than $500, or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or by both. A third such conviction within 18 months will net a fine between $600 and $750 or 180 days in jail, or both.

CSX owns the rail lines and crossing where the accident occurred.
"We express our sympathy and concern to the family of the driver killed in the accident," CSX spokesman Bob Sullivan said Wednesday. "Beyond that, we're cooperating fully in the investigation with local authorities."

Statistics from the Federal Railroad Administration Office of Safety Analysis show a total of 30 incidents occurred in 2010 at railroad crossing in the state, including 16 involving automobiles and three involving truck-trailers. CSX tracks and crossings were involved in 14 of the incidents.
Chautauqua County had a total of eight incidents from 2007 to 2010, with one listed for last year.
Nationwide, there was a total of 1,664 highway-rail incidents listed for 2010, including 241 involving truck-trailers. A total of 229 fatalities were counted in 2010, including two in New York state.
Ortolano couldn't recall a similar accident at the Middle Road site.

"We had one about five years ago, not a vehicle but a person on the tracks, walking on the tracks out there by Middle Road," he stated. "As far as vehicles, I can't remember any."
All-in-all, the numbers show trains will win over other vehicles in a collision - every time.

Provided By: The Observer
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Family Claim Negligence in Truck Accident

Geneva, IL —

An attorney for the family Raymond VanPelt, 53, of Aurora who was killed in a semi-tractor accident Christmas Eve is suing for negligence and $50,000 from the truck company and its driver.
VanPelt, who was employed by Black Horse Carriers, was killed about 10:24 a.m. Dec. 24 at Aldi corporate headquarters parking lot, 1200 N. Kirk Road.

Police are still investigating, but preliminary findings show that the driver of the semi-tractor was attempting to back-up to a semi-trailer to move it elsewhere in the parking lot.

Police said the driver, who worked for Penske, did not see Vanpelt and accidentally backed over him.
The lawsuit, filed Friday by Chicago attorney John Powers, claims Penske through its driver acted negligently for failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to decrease speed and failing to give an audible warning. The suit also claims the truck did not have adequate brakes.

Provided By: My Suburban Life
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Serious 2 Car Accident

A serious two car accident occurred in Jefferson County Saturday January 8th at 1:30 pm .  The accident took place on Williams Creek Road at Hillsboro Valley Park Road.  The accident happened when a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Roy Smith (57), was travelling eastbound on Williams Creek Road.  At that same time a tow truck was off-loading a vehicle, a 1999 Volkswagen Passat, into a private drive.  Mr. Smith apparently failed to see the tow truck and collided with it.

The impact of the crash caused the tow truck to move three feet, striking Todd Pflanz (45), and seriously injuring him.  Mr. Pflanz was taken to St. Anthony’s hospital by ambulance. The impact also caused the Volkswagen Passat to shift.  The driver of the Passat, Joseph Butler (24), received minor injuries from the accident and was taken by ambulance to St. Clare hospital. Both the Chevrolet Silverado driven by Mr. Smith and the tow truck were damaged extensively in the accident.  The Volkswagen Passat driven by Mr. Butler was not damaged. Troop C of the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded.

Multi-car accidents, especially those involving pedestrians, can be extremely dangerous, fortunately no one was killed. Being made whole after a multi-car accident is also complicated for those involved. When multiple vehicles are involved there are usually different insurance companies implicated, and in an accident such as this, even different types of insurance coverage involved.


I hope that both Mr. Pflanz and Mr. Butler have speedy recoveries from their injuries. Being injured in a car accident can have both short term and long term effects.  Many injuries do not materialize until weeks after an accident. Knowing what to do both immediately after an accident and later on down the road can is essential.

Provided By: Missouri Injury Blog
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Wreaks Send Residents to Hospital

PLATTSMOUTH – Several local residents went to the hospital Sunday after snow-covered roads caused a pair of car accidents near Plattsmouth.

  The first accident took place on Highway 75 by Tincher Auto Mall at 3:49 p.m. Cass County Sheriff’s Office deputies reported that Plattsmouth resident Krista R. Davenport, 18, was traveling southbound on Highway 75 when she lost control of her 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier. The car did a near-180-degree spin on the road. Beaver Lake resident Harold J. Sturm, 60, was northbound in his 2007 Ford Fusion at the time. Davenport’s car struck Sturm’s vehicle near the driver’s door. The collision forced both vehicles to stop on the east side of the highway.

  Cass County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Plattsmouth Fire and Rescue volunteers all responded to the accident. Plattsmouth Rescue transported a female passenger in Sturm’s vehicle to the hospital as a precautionary measure. She told rescue crews she struck her head on the door jam during the accident.

Witnesses told investigators each car was traveling between 40 and 45 miles per hour prior to the collision. Deputies said the snow-packed highway was a contributing factor in the incident.

  The second accident took place at 6:53 p.m. on the Webster Boulevard overpass on Highway 75. Deputies reported that Plattsmouth resident Heather J. Sheldon, 27, was northbound on Highway 75 when she lost control of her 2000 Pontiac Montana Sport Van and the vehicle spun into the southbound lane. Plattsmouth resident Eric M. Cavanaugh, 20, was driving a 2004 Dodge Dakota truck southbound at the time. The two vehicles collided on the overpass.

  Two adults in the Cavanaugh vehicle and two adults and two children in the Sheldon vehicle received injuries. Plattsmouth Rescue transported all six people to University of Nebraska Medical Center for treatment. A Plattsmouth firefighter also received injuries at the accident scene and was transported to Bellevue Medical Center. The name of the firefighter was not released.

  Deputies said icy and snow-packed road conditions are considered the primary reason for the accident. Emergency crews were on scene for more than one hour.

Provided By: The Journal

Semi Wreak Closes I-80

Fourteen vehicles piled up Sunday on icy Interstate-80, shutting down the highway nearly all day.

The onset of snowy weather over the weekend kept the Nebraska State Patrol Troop D on the move, said Capt. Jim Parish.

Troopers responded to 24 accidents over the weekend, but none were larger than the 14-vehicle pile-up between Gothenburg and Cozad that shut eastbound I-80 traffic down for eight hours.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., an eastbound semi tractor-trailer passed a long line of other semis, Parish said.

"The snow was fluffy and it kicked up in the passing semi's wake, causing a whiteout," he said. "The lead semi slowed down and the trailing semis could not stop in time."

Several of the semis jackknifed as the pile-up built rapidly, Parish said. All told, 11 semis and three cars were involved in the wreck, which happened about four miles west of Cozad.

"Thankfully, because the roads were slick and the speeds were low, there were no serious injuries," Parish continued. "The first trooper on the scene told me he hadn't seen anything like it. He said, "I didn't even know where to start."

"It was a tangled-up mess," Parish concluded.

Nearly six inches of snow fell in the storm, according to the National Weather Service in North Platte. 

Provided By: North Platte Bulletin

Snowplow Hit

Another snowplow has been struck by a vehicle on a Saskatchewan highway — the third in less than a week.
According to the highway's Ministry, a provincial snowplow was hit by a semi-trailer on the Trans-Canada Highway Sunday afternoon.

It happened during whiteout conditions near Balgonie. The semi hit the plow truck on the right rear side, resulting in extensive damage to both vehicles, the ministry said.
Neither of the drivers was injured.

The crash followed a more serious accident on Highway 40 near Shellbrook on Friday morning.
In that incident, the snowplow operator was plowing in the southbound lanes of the highway when a northbound car crossed into the wrong lane and hit the snowplow head on.

A woman who was with a small child received non-life-threatening injuries, while the driver was treated for minor injuries.

Another snowplow was hit by a car over the noon hour on Jan. 6.

The operator had been plowing snow on Highway 19 near Elbow when the back of his plow was rear-ended.
The driver had entered the whiteout created by the plow before the crash, the ministry said.

The ministry has been asking motorists to slow down and give plows a wide berth when they're at work.
Snowplows pull over about every 10 kilometres to allow motorists to pass, the ministry said.

Provided By: cbcnews.com

Tractor Trailer Driver Faces Charges

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – A semi driver may face charges after he crashed his 18 wheeler Tuesday morning in a truck accident in Lincoln County, Oklahoma. The rollover crash occurred on Turner Turnpike in the northeast Oklahoma City metro region and left a section of the highway covered with a potentially hazardous material. The truck accident area is in the central part of the state, about 239 miles north of Dallas, Texas and about 175 miles west of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

On Tuesday morning an unidentified truck driver was driving east on Turner Turnpike, also known as Interstate 44. The driver is employed by Brooks Grease Service based in Tulsa, OK. At the time of the truck accident the driver was transporting a cargo of cooking grease from Oklahoma City to Tulsa.
Shortly after 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning the semi driver was eastbound on the Turner Turnpike/I-44, traveling through the northeast part of Oklahoma City. The rollover truck accident happened as the semi trailer moved near Post Road, south of the suburb of Wellston. The tanker truck suddenly went off balance and flipped over on its right side. The tractor trailer skidded about 50 feet along the guardrail before finally coming to a rest, lying across the metal barrier and the shoulder of the interstate.

No other persons or vehicles were involved in the truck accident.

Emergency personnel with the Oklahoma City Fire Department rushed to the site of the overturned tanker. The driver was able to get out of his cab and received minor injuries to his hand in the truck accident. Paramedics treated the semi driver at the scene and there are no reports that he required hospitalization.
When the semi truck overturned the impact damaged the tanker section and the cargo of cooking grease began to leak out onto the highway. The grease, which was described as potentially hazardous, spread across the eastbound lanes of the interstate. A haz-mat team responded to the truck accident site and worked to clean the spill and keep it contained, however an unknown amount got into a nearby river.

Police shut down the Turner Turnpike/I-44 surrounding the crash site and diverted vehicles to secondary roads. For several hours after the truck accident occurred drivers were rerouted off the highway at the juncture with Interstate 35. They were then allowed back on eastbound I-44 at a point past Post Road. Police reopened the inside lane of the interstate shortly before noon on Tuesday, and they hoped to have the other lanes open by Friday.

According to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority the outer lane and shoulder of the turnpike will remained closed for several days so crews can perform repairs. The grease that was spilled in the truck accident destroyed the asphalt surface. Highway crews will have to dig up the wrecked asphalt and repave the damaged sections of the interstate. Workers will also have to replace the guardrail that was ruined when the semi truck skidded on the barrier.

Police have reconstructed the single vehicle truck accident and may file charges against the driver. According to reports, the semi driver allegedly fell asleep at the wheel just before he flipped the 18 wheeler and crashed into the guardrail. It is not known if police officers suspect drugs or alcohol, or if the driver had to submit to a toxicology screening. Commercial Vehicle Inspectors will likely look at the driver’s log books to determine if he was taking the required rest breaks.

No charges have been brought yet, pending the completion of the truck accident investigation.

Provided By: 360 News Wire

Three Car Pile Up on I-287

BRIDGEWATER — A three-car accident on Interstate 287 in Bridgewater early this morning left a 29-year-old woman in critical condition, according to State Police officials.

The Morristown woman, who is not being identified because her family has not been notified of her injuries, was driving a black Mitsubishi Lancer northbound shortly before 4:38 a.m. when she lost control of the car and spun into the concrete barrier on the right side of the road near the Canal Road exit ramp, said State Police Sgt. Stephen Jones.

The car was partly in the right lane and partly in the shoulder, Jones said, when a 1994 pick-up truck driving northbound struck the Mitsubishi, causing it to spin completely into the right lane. A tractor trailer traveling in the same lane then struck the vehicle for a second time.

Sometime after the initial collision, the woman got out of the car and was standing near it when one or both of the trucks hit the car, Jones said.

State troopers found her unconscious lying near the vehicle. She was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick and is in critical condition.
None of the drivers involved in the incident have been charged, Jones said.

Provided By: nj.com

Two Troopers Killed in Crash

Two people died this afternoon when their pickup truck crossed an Interstate Highway 80 median, collided with a semitrailer truck and caught fire, the Iowa State Patrol said.

Troopers said the crash was weather-related. Snow fell across western Iowa as a slow-moving storm expected to drop almost a foot of snow in some areas crawled into the state.

The deadly accident happened before 4 p.m. around mile marker 96, a few miles east of the Stuart exit. The eastbound interstate lanes were closed for almost four hours.

The pickup had been traveling west, the State Patrol said, before apparently losing control and sliding across the median and into the path of the eastbound semi.

The names of those killed were not released late tonight pending notification of kin.

Forecasters said central Iowa residents can expect 6 to 8 inches of snow by Tuesday. A winter weather advisory was issued for the western half of the state.

The heaviest precipitation in Des Moines will likely come Monday and Monday night, although snow may continue through the end of the weather advisory at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Highways in the western third of Iowa were mostly or completely covered with snow, the Iowa Department of Transportation said at about 7:30 p.m. today.

Authorities in western Iowa responded to several other weather-related car accidents Sunday evening, with the Guthrie County Sheriff’s office saying it received numerous calls.

Some cities said their snow ordinances would go into effect today.

The storm system is expected to make its way slowly east across the state. Areas of southwest Iowa could receive 8 to 11 inches of snow, said National Weather Service meteorologists. But dry air to the northeast will likely limit snowfall there to 1 to 3 inches.

This season’s snow accumulation remains well below average.

Des Moines has received about 11 inches this winter, 20 inches less than it had last winter at this time.

Des Moines is about 4 inches below average to date, and much of the state is below average, too. Only the northern counties have had heavier amounts.

Provided By: Desmoinesregister.com

Snowy Crash Kills Two

Two people died Sunday when their pickup truck crossed an Interstate Highway 80 median, collided with a semitrailer truck and caught fire, the Iowa State Patrol said.

Troopers said the afternoon crash was weather-related. Snow fell across western Iowa on Sunday as a slow-moving storm expected to drop almost a foot of snow in some areas crawled into the state.

Forecasters said central Iowa residents can expect 6 to 8 inches of snow by Tuesday. A winter weather advisory was issued for the western half of the state.

The deadly accident happened before 4 p.m. around mile-marker 96, a few miles east of Stuart. The eastbound interstate lanes were closed for almost four hours.

The westbound pickup apparently lost control and slid across the median and into the path of the eastbound semi, the state patrol said.

The names of the victims were not available late Sunday, pending notification of relatives.

The heaviest precipitation in Des Moines will likely come today and tonight, although snow may continue through the end of the weather advisory at 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Highways in the western third of Iowa were mostly or completely covered with snow, the Iowa Department of Transportation reported at about 10:30 p.m. Authorities in western Iowa responded to several other weather-related vehicle accidents Sunday evening, with the Guthrie County Sheriff's office saying it received numerous calls.

Some cities said snow ordinances would go into effect today.

The storm system is expected to make its way slowly east across the state. Areas of southwest Iowa could receive 8 to 11 inches of snow, National Weather Service meteorologists said. But dry air to the northeast will likely limit snowfall there to 1 to 3 inches.

Provided By: desmoinesregister.com

Car & Truck in Deadly Crash

Town of Volney (WSYR-TV) - The State Police are investigating a deadly Thursday afternoon accident in the Town of Volney in which a car crashed into a dump truck.

The accident occurred around 12:30 p.m. when a northbound 2011 Kia Soul crossed over the center line and collided with a southbound dump truck driven by James Beach, 75, of Auburn. The accident occurred in front of a Longley Dodge auto dealership on County Route 57.

The Kia driver, William Mancini, 57, of Glen Abbey Terrace in Phoenix, was pronounced dead at the scene while Beach was transported to University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The name of the driver who was killed is being withheld until the family can be notified.

NewsChannel 9 and 9WSYR.com will have more information on the accident as it becomes available.

Provided By: Channel 9 WSYR

18 Crashes Near I-57 and I-80

A very sudden, very intense snow shower wreaked havoc on the highways on Thursday morning, causing numerous accidents and spin-outs, along Interstates 80, 55, and 57, according to Illinois State Police.

Traffic was still crawling at noon on westbound I-80/94, east of Torrence Avenue where a jackknifed semi shut down several lanes.

Illinois State Police are blaming icy conditions for at least 18 separate crashes near the interchange between Interstates 57 and 80, snarling highway traffic in the Southland.

The crashes near where I-57 and I-80 intersect near Homewood started about 10:15 a.m. and at least 18 crashes had been reported as of 11:15 a.m., an ISP District Chicago trooper said.

Two people were hurt on northbound Illinois 394 after a red Ford pickup hit a tree near Glenwood-Dyer Road, the trooper said.

Two people were taken to Saint Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center in Hammond, Ind.

On I-57, a vehicle was reported on fire near Sibley Boulevard and other vehicles in nearby crashes are undrivable on both northbound and southbound lanes, the trooper said.

Farther south, southbound lanes of I-57 were temorarily closed near Peotone because of multiple crashes in both directions.

State Police District 5 out of Joliet reported at least 30 incidents, including cars in ditches, along highways in western Will County.

Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman Guy Tridgell said they started getting reports of crashes at 9:15 a.m. and mobilized trucks “right away.”

Salt trucks will continue working throughout the day, making sure the ramps, interstates and primary roads are cleared, he said.

“The storm arrived so suddenly and was so intense that drivers did not have time to react,” Tridgell said.

It left less than an inch of snow.

Provided By: Herald News

Deadly I-95 Wreck

Authorities say they are looking into why a semi-tractor trailer driver apparently failed to slow down near a closed off interstate exit in a crash that left a Palm Bay couple and their pet dog dead.

A total of seven people were involved in the crash that began at about 9:50 p.m. Wednesday at the southbound Interstate 95 exit to Malabar Road in Palm Bay and ended on the overpass. The roadway was closed for more than four hours and reopened at about 2 a.m.

“The full responsibility of the crash falls on the semi-tractor driver. We’re looking at everything involved but anytime you have a change in road conditions, whether it’s a pre-planned closure or something sudden, drivers need to be paying attention,” said Kim Montes, spokeswoman for the Florida Highway Patrol.

Although the same strip of interstate has seen three accidents in recent days, officials say ongoing construction in the area does not appear to be a factor in the crash.

“If we had multiple crashes out there then we’d look into it but there’s not an issue with the road at this point, just inattentive drivers,” Montes said.

In addition to the two people who died, two people in another vehicle suffered serious injuries.

Two helicopters, which landed in the parking lot of the nearby Lowe’s Home Improvement store, airlifted them to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne. Their conditions were unknown Thursday morning.

Two others, including a construction worker who was struck while fleeing the crash, were transported to hospitals. The police said the tractor-trailer's driver, Eduardo Avila, 38, of Miami Lakes, was not badly hurt. Florida Highway Patrol investigators ordered a blood sample but did not file charges.

“We’ll complete the investigation first before anything else is done,” Montes said.

The two people killed were identified as 48-year-old Todd Olthoff and Marcy Olthoff, 48, both of Palm Bay. They were traveling in a 2001 Infiniti, officials reported.

The Infiniti was dragged under the front left wheel of the tractor-trailer, which was loaded with produce.

It hit two more vehicles -- a blue Saturn sedan and a black Ford F-150, which were traveling in front -- and left behind a trail of wreckage, tire marks and metal scrapes on recently laid asphalt. A guardrail in the grassy median was damaged. Personal objects — a lottery ticket, a pencil and eyeglasses — littered the roadway.

The two occupants of the Saturn, 72-year-old driver Sandra Keen and passenger Philip Keen, 74, were transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne where they remained in critical condition. Both are from Palm Bay, officials reported. The driver of the 2001 Ford F150 was identified as Filbert Delva, 35, of Palm Bay. He suffered minor injuries in the crash and was treated at Palm Bay Community Hospital.

Troopers said the lead vehicle, the Ford, may have been slowing to make a late exit to Malabar Road. The tractor-trailer likely hit the Infiniti, then the Saturn, then the Ford.

"There was no braking until the impact," Cpl. Jim Nusl, the Florida Highway Patrol's lead investigator for the wreck, said of the tractor-trailer. "But after he struck the small car (the Infiniti), he lost the front brakes and some of the rear air brakes, so it continued until they became stationary on the overpass.”

The police closed the southbound lanes of the interstate between Palm Bay and Fellsmere roads, as rescuers removed the victims and the FHP investigated. The roadway reopened after 2 a.m.

The tractor-trailer, owned by American Fruit & Produce in Opa-locka, was the last to be towed. The black Infiniti was hauled away with its occupants still inside. FHP Sgt. Charles Thomas said the vehicle was "so mashed up" that it took time to determine how many people were inside.

After it was struck, the Ford pickup caught fire in the middle of the interstate. Flames engulfed the engine and the driver's-side wheel well.

Trooper William Craig was off duty Wednesday night as he controlled traffic under a contract with the construction company. Craig said he heard the crash, then saw the pickup truck burning and its driver in danger.

"He's in there, just sitting," Craig said. "It's on fire. He's in shock and doesn't know what to do. So I use the fire extinguisher and put it out."

The three-lane roadway is still under construction, with the right-hand lane blocked to traffic by orange cones. One worker at the site suffered minor injuries and walked into an ambulance without help.

"They were working on the road," Thomas said about the crew from West Palm Beach-based Ranger Construction. "He saw what was happening and tried to run away from the accident."

It was the third accident of the day in the construction zone, where a lane is being added to each side of the interstate. In an earlier wreck, a vehicle went off the roadway on northbound Interstate 95 and ended up in a Palm Bay Ford lot on Malabar Road.

Construction workers stood on the roadway Thursday morning, their shift interrupted by the crash. They talked and relived the moment when their co-worker was injured.

The group's supervisor, who asked not to be identified because the wreck was still under investigation, said the employees are trained in safety precautions but that "it's never good enough, evidently," when the expected happens.

"He was just jumping to get out of the way. It was self-defense, you know," the man said. "Out here, you learn to run fast and have eyes in the back of your head. But we're always 6 inches from disaster."

Provided By: floridatoday.com/