A little snow creates a lot of hassle around metro area

Bruce Bisping, Star Tribune

A dusting of snow Monday was enough to snarl traffic on the freeways. On southbound Interstate 35W near 98th Street in Bloomington, vehicles crept along.

By COURTNEY BLANCHARD, Star Tribune

Last update: January 21, 2008 - 10:57 PM

Traffic accidents ranging from day-ruining fender-benders to crashes with serious injuries, including one involving a police officer in Burnsville, abounded Monday afternoon and early evening on snowy metro area highways, and a state transportation official had just two words for drivers: Slow down!

"People are driving too fast," said state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Judy Melander.

Even with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday closing schools and government offices, traffic levels appear to be like any other Monday, she said.

From 5 a.m. to just after 5 p.m., 110 crashes and 20 rollovers were reported on Minnesota roads, according to a state Department of Transportation official at the Regional Transportation Management Center.

"We're surprised there are as many accidents and rollovers," Melander said. "It's not that bad out."

Because the snow was so light -- just a dusting in areas -- people weren't paying much attention to it -- until their cars slid through intersections or off roads. Starting early this morning, MnDOT sent out more than 180 plows to clear the roads when the snow began, but a combination of cold weather and people driving too fast for the conditions led to the proliferation of accidents, officials said.

If the temperature falls before 20 degrees, salt sprayed on roads tends to bounce off and lose effectiveness, Melander said.

All MnDOT can do is keep scraping roads clear and continuing to pile it on, she said. "We're just going to do the best that we can," she added.

Crushed between vehicles

In Burnsville, a police officer was seriously injured when an SUV slid out of control on the snowy road and hit him as he was standing by another SUV that had crashed.

Officer Christopher Biagini, 24, had both legs crushed between the two vehicles, said police spokesman Jeff Behnken. Because Biagini's police radio also was crushed by the impact, he used his cell phone to reach another police officer, who send firefighters and rescue workers to the scene. They rushed Biagini to Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville, Behnken said.

Despite being pinned between two SUVs, Biagini was conscious and alert Monday evening, Behnken said. After visiting him at the hospital, Behnken said Biagini had no broken bones, but awaits word on other damage to his legs.

"You could see the formation of his body in the other truck," Behnken said.

Biagini had responded to a single-car accident about 3:50 p.m. at Hwy. 13 and Nicollet Parkway. He was taking information from the driver when a passing teenage driver lost control and hit him, Behnken said.

The snow should taper off just after rush hour, according to the National Weather Service. Only about half an inch to one inch has fallen on the metro area, but southern parts of the state were blanketed with snow.

Albert Lea received at least 5 inches of snow, and other parts of south central Minnesota saw 2 to 4 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Double-digit temps should return late in the week, following a few days of intense cold. Tuesday's high may reach 10 degrees, with a chilly night of 5 to 10 below.

There could be flurries in the metro Tuesday night continuing into Wednesday, but it shouldn't be substantial. Wednesday's high won't go above 5 degrees, but Thursday will start the warmup, with a high close to the teens and then into the 20s Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Staff writers Jim Adams and Paul Walsh contributed to this report. Courtney Blanchard • 612-673-4921

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