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Local News

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Motorists slip & slide on icy roadways
Hancock Federal Credit Union
By ERIC SCHAADT

STAFF WRITER

Blowing snow and ice on roadways made life miserable for travelers Friday.

As another storm swept through northwest Ohio, numerous accidents were reported as vehicles slid off roads or into each other.

“The roads are very, very icy,” a State Highway Patrol dispatcher said Friday night.

A multi-vehicle crash at 6:13 p.m. Friday sent autos into the median of Interstate 75 near Bluffton and resulted in at least three people being treated at Bluffton Community Hospital for minor injuries, the Findlay post of the State Highway Patrol reported.

Both lanes of the interstate remained open while the accident scene was being cleared, the patrol reported.

A motorist ran into a power pole along U.S. 224, west of Findlay in Liberty Township, at 8:10 p.m. Friday, the Hancock County Sheriff's Office said.

No one was hurt, but a low-hanging power line had traffic shut down on the highway, according to the sheriff's office.

Hancock, Seneca and Wyandot counties declared Level 2 weather advisories Friday night. Level 2 means “roadways are extremely hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be out on the roadways.”

Wood, Allen and Henry counties declared a Level 1 weather alert, which means roadways are hazardous and motorists should drive with extreme caution. Hardin and Putnam counties had no alert.

The National Weather Service said 2-4 inches of snow could fall overnight at Findlay, and another 1 to 3 inches is possible today.

Ohio Department of Transportation garages in Hancock and surrounding counties reported snowfall ranging from 1 to 4 inches Friday. The state garage in Findlay measured 2.5 inches.

Thirteen state snowplows were working Friday night in Hancock County.

Hancock County snowplow crews worked through the day, pulled off the roads about 9 p.m. Friday and were to resume work at 4 a.m. today.

The Findlay patrol post handled at least 10 rollover crashes during the day Friday.

A Minster woman was slightly injured when her vehicle rolled over after hitting a snowdrift on Hancock County 313 near Cory-Rawson High School at 11 a.m. Friday.

A Chevy Cavalier driven by Abby Rosengarten, 21, slid off the roadway and rolled over twice, coming to rest in a field, Trooper Bob Burd said.

Rosengarten, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered minor cuts on her hands and knees but refused medical treatment at the scene, Burd said.

She was not cited, the post reported.

An Adrian, Mich. man suffered cuts and scrapes during a rollover crash on southbound I-75 near Ohio 613 at 7 a.m. Friday.

David A. Rosier, no age available, was driving a Chevy truck pulling a 26-foot camper when he lost control, Burd said.

The truck jackknifed, rolled onto the Ohio 613 exit ramp and struck a fence, the state patrol said.

Rosier was wearing a seat belt and no citations were issued, authorities reported.

The exit ramp and the interstate were closed briefly while the vehicle was removed.

Elsewhere, a Rawson motorist was ticketed Friday morning for failing to control a Chevy Tahoe which struck a ditch and rolled onto the driver's side on Hancock County 313. Nobody was hurt, according to the sheriff's office.

A rollover crash was reported at 4:42 p.m. Friday west of Kalida on U.S. 224, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said. No injury was reported.

Two minor traffic mishaps were noted on Findlay streets Friday night, the Findlay Police Department said.

Other area law enforcement agencies said cars were skidding off slippery roads into medians and ditches, but no serious injuries were noted.

“We have crashes everywhere. Nothing serious,” a harried dispatcher with the Bowling Green post of the State Highway Patrol said.

State transportation officials said more than 1,000 state snowplows and other snow-clearing vehicles were on the job Friday in northern Ohio as winds caused blowing snow and drifting.

The National Weather Service warned that seven northeast Ohio counties could get up to 15 inches of snow, with wind gusts up to 30 mph.

But snowfall elsewhere in Ohio was lighter with some areas staying dry.

Courier online editor Rebecca Conklin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Schaadt: 419-427-8414,

Send an e-mail to Eric Schaadt


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News Briefs Firefighters discover 20 marijuana plants in house
After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

Carey announces holiday closing
CAREY -- Carey offices, including administrative, income tax and utilities, electric, wastewater treatment plant, and public works, will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

Findlay trooper named sergeant
Trooper Jacob L. Fletcher, assigned to the Findlay post of the State Highway Patrol, was promoted to sergeant Wednesday by Patrol Superintendent Col. David Dicken.

With the promotion, Fletcher will stay at the Findlay post and serve as an assistant post commander, according to the patrol.

Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

Owens announces holiday schedule
The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

Holiday changes ad deadlines
The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.