I-70 incidents again keep Putnamville troopers busy

Friday, February 14, 2014

PUTNAMVILLE -- Troopers from the Putnamville Post were kept busy Friday afternoon and evening, responding to multiple crashes and slide-offs along Interstate 70.

With four or five inches of snowing falling throughout the area, the I-70 trouble spots developed mostly in Putnam and Clay counties, as well as along U.S. 41 in Vigo and Sullivan counties and State Road 63 in northern Vigo and Vermillion counties.

Damage to Trooper Hans Nowak's Indiana State Police commission involved in an Interstate 70 mishap Friday afternoon is visible to the driver's side of the vehicle as its sits in the median.

No life-threatening injuries were reported in any of the crashes, although some minor injuries were reported.

The more extreme trouble spots developed along I-70 from the 40- to 48-mile markers in Putnam County. That would be from a mile east of Cloverdale to seven miles west of the U.S. 231 interchange.

Also considered a problem area was the section of I-70 from the 24- to 28-mile markers in Clay County.

Traffic in those areas was slowed throughout the afternoon and evening Friday by crash cleanup and removal of slide-offs, but the interstate remained open.

In one instance, Indiana State Police Master Trooper Hans Nowak was attempting to investigate a vehicle rollover crash at 1:51 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of I-70 near the 19-mile marker.

Nowak was stationary in his 2011 Dodge Charger with emergency lights activated, when a 2007 GMC SUV driven by Porchia Smith-Ford, 36, of Maryville, Ill., lost control and sideswiped the ISP commission. No injuries were reported.

Smith-Ford was cited for speed too fast to avoid a collision by investigating trooper Tim Rader.

Meanwhile, another incident around 4:30 p.m. involved a Vigo County School Corporation bus at U.S. 41 and State Road 246 with four students on board. No injuries reported.

From 10 a.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Saturday, troopers responded to the following:

-- Property damage crashes: 24.

-- Personal Injury crashes: 4.

-- Slide-offs: 23.

-- Disabled vehicles: 15.

State Police spokesmen said the overwhelming cause for the crashes and slide-offs was drivers operating vehicles too fast for conditions.

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  • ISP did a great job as always, but this is the second time the BG has singled them out. The county firefighters, sheriff's deputies, EMS and dispatchers were very much involved! A great job was done by everyone!

    -- Posted by Geologist on Sat, Feb 15, 2014, at 6:36 AM
  • I traveled from Cloverdale to Putnamville last night. The entry/exit ramps were hazardous. Not so bad entering 70, but had to slow way down to exit and still slid. The highway was cleared well.

    -- Posted by shackman on Sat, Feb 15, 2014, at 11:51 AM
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