Snow, ice cause few accidents

Abstract

No one was injured but Hart said the car driver was ticketed for failure to maintain control. Because of the slick roads, Hart said he had expected more crashes.

Iowa City Press-Citizen

Despite a nasty mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain blanketing the roads Thursday morning, area law enforcement agencies said relatively few motorists slipped and slid out of control.

"I'm going to knock on wood here," Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Greg Obbink said, adding that troopers responded to between five and 10 vehicles in the ditch and minor accidents. "I think the advance warning that we had for the last day or two really helped, and it appeared that drivers were doing a better job."

Less than a half-inch of precipitation fell in the Iowa City area Thursday morning. Most of that came during a rare "thunder snow" storm.

In Iowa City, police Sgt. Doug Hart said officers had responded to about six collisions as of Thursday afternoon. One crash involved a train where Hart said a car was approaching the train tracks and ran into the train. No one was injured but Hart said the car driver was ticketed for failure to maintain control.

Because of the slick roads, Hart said he had expected more crashes.

"We've actually had a pretty fair day as far as traffic collisions," Hart said. "We're thankful that everybody's slowed down or just decided to stay home."

Coralville police reported only three minor car accidents as of Thursday afternoon and the Johnson County Sheriff's Office responded to nine weather-related accidents or vehicle assists.

The storm caused most area school districts, including Iowa City and Clear Creek Amana, to cancel classes Thursday.

"It was a pretty hard call," Plugge said. "About 5:45 (a.m.), I was getting queasy because all the predictions said there was going to be ice and then it started to thunder, lightning and rain."

Plugge said students do not have classes today because of parent-teacher conferences.