Ice, Slush Hides Under Shiny Disguise

CENTRAL OHIO —There were numerous vehicle accidents and roadway closures early Wednesday morning due to ice and rain. It appeared at noon that all the major roadways were just wet, but there still could be slick spots out there.

NBC 4’s Tom Brockman reported with the FAST FACTS.

Ice and slush were hidden under a wet, shiny and deceiving disguise. Quite a few drivers obviously thought conditions were better than they were.

“I’ve got more waiting on me. We’re always busy. It’s nonstop,“ Michael Meadows said.

Meadows is a tow-truck operator for Alum Creek Towing. By the time Brockman caught up with him, he already had pulled six vehicles back on the road at the intersection of Powell Road and Polaris Parkway.

“It was just cars going around the curve. Nothing but ice. They were just sliding right off like it was nothing. They were just sliding into one another, falling over like dominos,“ Meadows said.

Just to the west, icy conditions forced sheriff’s deputies to shutdown Powell Road from U.S. Route 23 to state Route 315 overnight and into Wednesday morning.

That was just some of the mess. The following details some of the area’s larger accidents and incidents.

I-70 westbound was shutdown between state Route 315 and the Sullivant Avenue exit for about three hours. The closing happened close to 6 a.m. and reopened close to 9 a.m.

The 1-70 eastbound ramp to 4th Street was closed due to blocking vehicle at 7:30 a.m.

There was a multiple-vehicle crash on I-70 westbound near the Hilliard-Rome Road exit. It involved a jackknifed semi and several vehicles. 

An accident blocked the left lane of I-270 eastbound before Sawmill at 7:30 a.m. Traffic was backed up to the 33/161 exit in Dublin. That cleared up a little before 9 a.m. 

In Delaware County, U.S. Route 23 was closed in three places: One spot was north of the city between Pennsylvania Avenue and U.S. Route 42. Both directions were closed due to ice buildup. Another spot was just south of the city of Delaware between SR 315 and Cheshire Road. A third location was in the city between William Street and Central Avenue.

U.S. Route 33 eastbound at U.S. 42 was blocked by a semi earlier this morning. That was between Dublin and Marysville.

Side streets were especially dangerous this morning.

Officials asked motorists to drive with caution.

There was flooding reported at Hard Road and Olentangy River Road in north Columbus.

Fallen power cables in the Short North area at High Street and Starr Avenue slowed traffic.

In Marion County, officials said 24-year-old Morgan Pugh was killed after she lost control of her vehicle and it was struck by a semi truck on U.S. 23 Tuesday night.

An accident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on I-70 westbound at Sullivant Avenue, which resulted in an individual transported to Grant Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

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