In one accident in Clark County, a car driven by Ashley Newton slid into the back of a Waste Management truck as it was on a daily route to collect garbage.
The accident occurred on North Fountain Boulevard near the intersection at Broadmoor Boulevard.
Dwight Ellis, the WM employee, was struck by the car as he was placing garbage into the back of the truck, according to a report from the Springfield Police Division.
The car slid into Ellis, pushing him under the truck, then the car hit the truck. Ellis was not injured.
Newton was transported to Springfield Regional Medical Center High Street Campus and was charged with assured clear distance ahead, according to the report.
During the course of the afternoon, two semi trailers on U.S. 70 slid off the road, causing a traffic to slow down significantly and later in the evening, a broken-down vehicle slowed traffic on 70 near the Madison County line, OSHP dispatch said.
Accidents have been reported from mile marker 48 on 70, which is east of Enon Road, to the Madison County line, OSHP reported.
As of 8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15, Clark and Champaign counties remained under a Level Two snow emergency.
A Level Two snow emergency means roads are extremely hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Drivers should be out only if necessary and employers should be contacted to see if employees need to report to work.
A Level One snow emergency means roads are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Drivers are urged to be cautious.
Clark County received 3.7 inches of snow as of 8:30 p.m. with more accumulation expected into today, said Mike Kurtz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Total snowfall could reach up to 8 or 9 inches, he said.
Winds out of the west could gust as high as 25 miles per hour, Kurtz said, which will cause drifting snow, mostly in rural areas.
Dick Groeber, of Dick’s weather service, said he recorded four inches of snow as of 6 p.m. Monday, bringing his recorded total to about 12 inches.
“Even though we have a lot of snow, this isn’t a record for us,” he said.
Groeber recorded a one-day 11-inch snowfall on Dec. 22, 2004.
Crews continue working to remove the new snow after a short weekend break, said Clark County Engineer John Burr.
So far, the county has used 4,000 tons of salt this year — at a cost of about $250,000 — but still has additional salt on its contract to get through the rest of the year, he said.
“I’m always watching the budget,” Burr said. “But I can’t say, ‘We’re over budget, stop plowing the snow.’ ”
In the meantime, the county “prepares for it to keep snowing and hopes it quits,” he said.
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