Couple inches of snow equals enormous headache Sunday on I-70

Sunday, February 14, 2016
Semis and other vehicles, among some 50 involved in an I-70 accident Sunday afternoon in Putnam County, careen into the median and block the interstate.

PUTNAMVILLE -- Just a couple of inches of new-fallen snow turned Valentine's Day into anything but a sweetheart of a time to be driving anywhere in Putnam County.

While local law enforcement officers kept busy with a number of slide-offs and at least one serious accident on U.S. 36 in the eastern part of the county (see separate story), troopers from the Indiana State Police Putnamville Post responded Sunday afternoon to numerous accidents, mainly along Interstate 70 in the Putnamville District.

ISP troopers reported investigating 50 property-damage crashes, three personal-injury accidents and eight slide-offs in the district between the hours of noon and 8:30 p.m.

Firefighters work to extricate victim Sunday afternoon from wreckage of Interstate 70 accident in Putnam County.

The preponderance of those accidents occurred in Putnam County, officials said.

The largest accident event occurred in the westbound lanes of I-70 near the 46-mile marker in Putnam County, five miles east of the Cloverdale/U.S. 231 exit, around 3:22 p.m.

That crash involved an estimated 50 vehicles with only seven injuries, all believed to be non-life threatening. Those injuries ranged from pain, lacerations, to possible fractures, Public Information Officer Sgt. Joe Watts reported.

Another multi-vehicle crash involving 12 vehicles occurred in the westbound lanes of I-70 near the 31-mile marker in western Putnam County, just east of the Clay County line. That mishap resulted in injuries to four persons, all with non-life threatening injuries, mostly lacerations and complaints of pain. The crash occurred around 3 p.m. with clean-up complete around 6:30 p.m.

Multiple crashes were reported at the 30-, 37-, 46- and 50-mile markers, local firefighters reported.

While the overwhelming majority of the crashes and slide-offs occurred on I-70 in Putnam County, few occurred in Clay and Vigo counties

"Oh, my God," one driver told the Banner Graphic after escaping the horrors of I-70 travel Sunday afternoon, "we have seen so many wrecks. Multiple car wrecks. This is nuts how people can't drive on two inches of snow. "

Overwhelming cause of the accidents was driving too fast for conditions, ISP officials said.

And that was apparent statewide, troopers said.

Sunday's winter storm, which started around noon today, affected a large portion of the state. During the noon to 8 p.m. timeframe, Indiana State Police officers responded overall statewide to:

-- 68 Personal-injury accidents.

-- 199 Property-damage crashes.

-- 102 Motorist assistance calls

Fortunately, State Police did not take any fatality crash reports related to the Valentine's Day winter storm.

ISP officials believe Sunday's events should help remind all motorists of important winter weather driving safety tips:

-- Re-evaluate the necessity of a trip during a winter storm.

-- If you must travel, leave early, reduce speed, have a fully charged cell phone as well as a winter emergency travel kit.

-- Remember that 4x4 or all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicles may allow a driver to drive faster in snow and ice, but such vehicles do not stop any faster than a two-wheel-drive vehicle.

-- Reduce speed and increase following distance.

-- If involved in a property-damage crash, participants should, if possible, move their vehicles off the road to a safe place and exchange information.

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  • Multiple ctrashes today at the 30, 37, 46 and 50 mile markers. So both east and west of Cloverdale.

    -- Posted by voiceofreason2 on Sun, Feb 14, 2016, at 7:52 PM
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