From record dry to lots of mayhem
Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 7 years, 1 month AGO
Drivers head West and East on Interstate 90 in a snowstorm Friday afternoon in Coeur d'Alene. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Jacob Anderson watches over his son, Gavin, 10, as he learns how to use a snowblower Friday afternoon in Coeur d'Alene. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
Andrea Peters sweeps snow off her vehicle Friday afternoon in Coeur d'Alene. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
By BRIAN WALKER
Hagadone News Network
The delayed return of snow to the valleys of Kootenai County packed a powerful punch on area highways and roads on Friday.
Idaho State Police alone, which patrols Interstate 90, U.S. 95 and highways 41 and 53, responded to more than 30 crashes and slideoffs between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in Kootenai County.
"Extremely slick and dangerous," said ISP Spokesman Tim Marsano, describing the conditions and adding that no fatalities had been reported by his agency during that timeframe.
Marsano said law enforcement was expecting to be inundated with accident calls through the night.
According to the National Weather Service, 5 inches of snow had fallen in Post Falls as of 4 p.m.
"Most areas of Kootenai County received 4 to 5 inches; the storm really stalled over the Coeur d'Alene area," said NWS Meteorologist Steve Bodnar, adding that showers are expected to taper off later today but return on Sunday.
Several of the crashes caused injuries, including a rollover on Highway 41 in the Spirit Lake area and accidents on Highway 53 near the state line, at U.S. 95 and Haycraft Avenue and Highway 41 at Prairie Avenue.
ISP reported in the early afternoon that one direction of Fourth of July Pass was down to one lane of travel and that the chain-up law was in effect for commercial vehicles. Westbound I-90 at Milepost 30 was completely blocked due to crashes at one point.
"Some people apparently forgot how to drive in the snow and slow down," Marsano said.
Post Falls Police reported a total of 22 slideoffs and accidents as of mid-afternoon, including damage to one of its own patrol cars and an unmarked car used by detectives.
"People have been driving too fast for conditions, and it didn't help when there was a sheet of ice laid down before the snow," Post Falls police Capt. Greg McLean said. "Our team was very busy."
Complicating matters were situations such as a semi that became stuck on Fourth of July Pass and delayed traffic. The driver was cited for failure to obey chain-up signs.
