Snow and ice from storms starting Dec. 19 took their toll on local drivers, especially those driving too fast and/or without enough care.
Accident reports were light on Dec. 19, during the heaviest snowfall. Reports included a rear-end collision, 2:45 p.m., at Eastlawn and Waldon. At about 5:33 p.m., a driver making a left turn at Andersonville and Tucson decided to make a right instead, and hit a car trying to go around.
Ice contributed to two accidents, Dec. 20, including a rear-ender, 6 p.m., at Sashabaw and Pinedale. At about 8:30 p.m., a sick driver fell asleep near Sashabaw and Baypointe, hit a snowbank, bounced to the other snow bank, and rolled over. The 33-year-old Independence Township woman was not seriously injured.
Dec. 21 contributed four, including a car coming off Sashabaw Road too fast onto I-75, sliding across three lanes and hitting a car, as well as a rear-ender, car hitting a deer, and a vehicle sliding off the road into a tree.
Five accidents were on Dec. 22, including a car pulling out in front of another on icy Sashabaw and Oakhill, car losing control, sliding sideways across the center line into another vehicle, car pulling out into traffic on M-15 and getting hit, and rear-end collision at Sashabaw and Clarkston road.
Dec. 23 brought five more: a car lost control and hit a utility pole, another slid into a snow bank, two cars ran into vehicles from behind, and another hit a car head on, with no serious injuries.
Christmas Eve had at least three, including a car at Clarkston and Park Street, sliding into two vehicles, car pulling up unseen behind a pickup truck plowing a parking lot on Dixie Highway ? hit when the plow backed up for another run ? and a car near Dartmouth and Menominee, braking on a downward slope, spinning around, and hitting a snow bank.
On Christmas day, a driver crested a hill at Indianwood and Dartmouth and spotted a car stuck at the bottom. He couldn’t stop in time on the ice.
? Phil Custodio