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WASATCH FRONT — The snow caused a total of 304 car accidents across the Wasatch Front Tuesday.
The Utah Highway Patrol reported a total 167 crashes in Salt Lake County with 20 injuries, 75 accidents in Utah County with seven injuries, and 62 accidents in Davis County.
Accident involving UHP vehicle
In the Salt Lake Valley, two people were taken to the hospital following a four-car crash on I-15 near 800 South.
A Utah Highway Patrol trooper was assisting a one-car accident when a white Mazda crashed into the back of the Trooper.
UHP officials said the driver of the Mazda crossed three lanes of traffic, cutting in front of a truck. It was hit by the truck, and then crashed into the trooper.
The truck then hit a tow truck that was assisting in another car crash.
The drivers of the truck and the Mazda were taken to the hospital.
Slide-offs force closure of Fort Union Blvd.
In Cottonwood Heights, snowy roads sent several drivers sliding down hills.
Cottonwood Heights police had their hands full when more than 16 cars went off the road or collided with other vehicles about 3:30 p.m., Sgt. Scott Peck reported.
Related:
Storm sticks around to slow evening commute
A major winter storm moved in over Utah early Tuesday, causing problems during the morning commute. By afternoon, the storm was still going strong, making for another slow commute home along the Wasatch Front.After seven drivers slid off the road and two more got in minor accidents, police closed Fort Union Boulevard in an attempt to clear the vehicles and plow the street before rush hour, Peck said. The road reopened about 5:15 p.m.
About the same time, another eight cars slid off the hilly road near Nantucket Drive and Oak Creek Drive, Peck said. No serious injuries or damage were reported.
"That's usually the case with these, where you slide off the road or slide into the guy in front of you," Peck said. "They were bumping into each other, hitting the curbs, damaging their wheels, all kinds of different things going on because of the hills and the ice."
Peck encouraged drivers to check the tread on their tires as winter settles over Utah, and he urged anyone who is having trouble driving in the snow not to abandon their car in traffic, a complication that slowed cleanup Tuesday.
Semitrailer veers off snowy freeway, rolls over
Earlier in the day, a semitrailer carrying cases of beer through Summit County rolled off the side of I-80 after driving too fast in the snow.
Police said around 7:43 a.m., a truck traveling west bound on I-80 at mile marker 172 near Coalville, struck the right hand barrier. The driver over-corrected to the left and the truck veered off the road and rolled over.
The truck was loaded with beer that has to be unloaded by hand.
The eastbound left lane will be closed closed until accident scene is cleaned up but traffic is still flowing through the area.
The condition of the driver was unknown Tuesday afternoon.
Email: mromero@ksl.com
Email: tsnowder@ksl.com
