Snow, crashes close I-15 in Box Elder County

Published: Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008 6:04 p.m. MDT
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WILLARD — A stretch of Interstate 15 through Box Elder County is closed after the season's first snowfall caused a series of freeway crashes and slideoffs this afternoon.

At about 4 p.m., one person was flown to the hospital after a two car crash near Willard Bay, said Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Ted Tingey. The extent of the person's injuries was not immediately known.

Snow likely played a role in the crash, Tingey said. Around the same time, there were a number of fender benders and several other cars slid off the wet road in that area.

Northbound I-15 is closed from Willard to Brigham City. Drivers are being routed to U.S. 89.

Snowfall caused minor problems around other parts of the state over the weekend, officials said.

Tingey said the early storm's arrival over the weekend, rather than a busy commuter workday, minimized weather-related issues on the roads.

"The timing of this storm was really fortunate," Tingey said. "Had it come in during Friday's commuter hours ... we'd have had a much different situation on our hands."

Portions of state Route 14 and I-84 were closed late Saturday night due to mishaps. UHP Sgt. Jeff Nigbur said Saturday that troopers responded to several accidents on I-84 near the Idaho border and SR14 between Cedar City and Hatch was closed briefly following and eight-vehicle pileup.

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Rocky Mountain Power spokesman Jeff Hymas said Sunday that the utility company had responded to a handful of power outages related to storm. At midday he said only a few dozen customers were still without power and those problems were expected to be repaired by Sunday evening.

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