Icy roads cause pileup on I-94 in North Dakota, state patrol car smashed
Pictured is a damaged North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP) squad car that was struck on I-94 Nov. 9 (Photo credit NDHP) (Supplied)
(FOX 9) - North Dakota Highway Patrol (NDHP) said nearly two dozen vehicles were involved in crashes on an icy stretch of I-94 after a squad car was struck while responding to a semi crash Wednesday night.
A trooper with NDHP was on I-94 near mile marker 260 in Jamestown when they saw a semi jackknifed and partially blocking the roadway. The trooper parked his car at the crash scene around 6:30 p.m. and turned the emergency lights on.
A short time later, a passing car struck the patrol car. NDHP said the trooper was outside the vehicle at the time of the crash and had to jump into the median to avoid being hit.
The trooper was not injured in the crash, according to the press release.
NPHD said there was a fine mist falling which caused the road to ice over. Within a short timeframe, approximately seven more crashes involving around two dozen vehicles occurred in the same section of the interstate.
Several people suffered injuries from the crashes and were transported to Jamestown Regional Medical Center. NDHP said the more serious injury reported was a broken leg.
I-94 westbound was closed for several hours and re-opened around 10 p.m. on Wednesday following the investigation of the crashes and recovery of the vehicles.
NDHP said the weather conditions were a contributing factor.