Slick roads lead to 12 accidents in Cape Girardeau

A wintry mix that accumulated on roads made travel treacherous for some drivers late Monday night and early Tuesday morning and was blamed for numerous motor vehicle accidents throughout Southeast Missouri, including 12 in Cape Girardeau.

Sgt. Kevin Orr of the Cape Girardeau Police Department's traffic division said the situation didn't compare to Dec. 23, when freezing rain caused nearly 40 weather-related traffic accidents in the city and walking conditions were unsafe for pedestrians.

"We had reports throughout the night and morning of drivers losing control of their vehicles and sliding off the roadway Monday and Tuesday," Orr said. "But this was not even close to what we had over Christmas. It just doesn't even compare."

Temperatures throughout Southeast Missouri struggled to climb above freezing during the morning hours Tuesday. By midafternoon, the temperature in Cape Girardeau had not climbed above 32 degrees. The last time Cape Girardeau was above freezing was at 8:53 p.m. Sunday, when the National Weather Service recorded a temperature of 33 degrees.

The area had been under a winter weather advisory since 6 p.m. Monday. It expired at noon Tuesday. The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport recorded light freezing rain from 11:53 p.m. Monday to 12:03 a.m. Tuesday. However, the precipitation was not measurable.

According to Ben Harrison of the Scott City Police Department, at 10:07 p.m. Monday a motor vehicle accident between mile marker 89 and 92 on I-55 shut down both the northbound and southbound lanes through early Tuesday morning. Several motorists had to be transported to the hospital, Harrison said. Traffic was backed up for several hours but had returned to normal by 1 a.m.

In Cape Girardeau, most of the accidents occurred on Interstate 55. Two of 12 weather-related traffic accidents included injuries, Orr said.

The first injury accident occurred at 7:07 p.m. when a motorist struck a light pole at the intersection of Kenneth Drive and Carriage Crossing. The motorist sustained minor injuries but refused to be transported to the hospital.

The other crash occurred later in the evening when emergency crews responded to an injury accident on the Missouri side of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge around 11:10 p.m. Highway 74 was blocked to traffic while firefighters and emergency personnel responded to the crash. At least one individual involved in the wreck was transported to a nearby hospital.

Icy conditions also forced the Missouri State Highway Patrol to shut down a part of Highway 25 late Monday night near Gordonville. The road reopened Tuesday morning.

Southeast Missourian reporter Bridget DiCosmo contributed to this story.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

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