Winter weather rolled in last week causing dangerous driving conditions and sending many cars flying out of control. Vehicles began piling up on Friday, January 10, as freezing rain and snow began to fall around noon and then rapidly dropping temperatures and blowing wind turned the roads to skating rinks that night. At 9:50 p.m., a 2019 Freightliner, driven by Joseph N. Todoran, 68, of Salt Lake City, Utah, was headed southbound on I-29 at the 100.4 mile marker when the driver lost control of the truck on the ice-covered roadway and the Freightliner began to slide. The vehicle crossed the center of the road, traveled off the east side, then back onto the roadway and overturned, sliding to a stop and blocking both lanes of southbound I-29. Todoran, who was wearing a seat belt, received minor injuries and his 65-year-old passenger, Richard K. Evans of Woods Cross, Utah, who was also wearing a seat belt, received moderate injuries. Both were taken to Community Hospital-Fairfax in Fairfax, Missouri, by an Atchison-Holt Ambulance. The 2019 Freightliner was totaled and secured in the median to be towed when road conditions improved. The accident was investigated by Trooper K.A. McCallister, who was assisted by the Atchison County Sheriff’s Department and Atchison-Holt Ambulance Service.

At 10:30 p.m. that same night, a 1996 Dodge Ram, driven by Elijah J. Taylor, 23, of Auburn, Nebraska, was traveling on Hwy. 136 five miles west of Rock Port when the vehicle began to slide on the ice-covered roadway. The Dodge Ram traveled off the north side of the road and overturned, coming to rest on its wheels off the north side of the roadway facing southeast. Taylor, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered moderate injuries and was later transported by a private party to Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn. The 1996 Dodge Ram was totaled and left roadside on Hwy. 136 east of C Ave. The accident was investigated by Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper K.A. McCallister.

At 8:20 a.m. on Saturday, January 11, on northbound I-29, approximately one mile west of Rock Port, a 2006 Honda Accord, driven by Rolando J. Vasquez-Calunga, 33, of Miama, Florida, slid on the ice-covered roadway. The Honda slid into the median and overturned, coming to rest on the driver’s side facing northeast. The passenger, Mariedis Dome Marrero, 21, of Miami, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered minor injuries in the wreck and was treated at the scene and released. The 2006 Honda Accord sustained extensive damage and was towed from the scene by Double M Towing of Rock Port. The accident was investigated by Trooper N.J. Greiner, who was assisted by the Atchison County Sheriff’s Department.

At 9:50 a.m. that same morning, a one-vehicle crash on southbound I-29 four miles northwest of Rock Port sent one driver to the hospital. The crash occurred as a 2006 Dodge Ram, driven by Jenna M. Rivers, 27, of McMinnville, Tennessee, was southound and began to skid and slide on the ice-covered roadway. The Dodge Ram overturned in the median coming to rest upright facing southwest. Rivers, who was wearing a seat belt, received minor injuries in the crash and was transported to George C. Grape Hospital in Hamburg, Iowa, by Atchison-Holt EMS. The 2006 Dodge Ram received moderate damage and was towed from the scene by Double M Towing of Rock Port. The accident was investigated by Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper N.J. Greiner, who was assisted by Trooper M.A. Harris, Atchison County Sheriff’s Department, and Atchison-Holt Ambulance Service.

A 2017 Chevrolet Equinox, driven by Alexandra L. Ranallo, 21, of Overland Park, Kansas, was northbound in the passing lane of I-29 eight miles north of Watson, Missouri, at 9:12 p.m. January 12, 2020, when she attempted to change lanes. The Equinox skidded out of control on the ice-covered roadway, slid off the east side, and struck a guardrail end. The Equinox overturned down an embankment and came to rest on its driver’s side facing southeast. Ranallo, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered minor injuries and was transported by Atchison-Holt EMS to George C. Grape Hospital in Hamburg. The 2017 Chevrolet Equinox was totaled and towed from the scene by Double M Towing of Rock Port.

The accident was investigated by Missouri State Highway Patrol Corporal S.M. Hux, who was assisted by Trooper K.A. McCallister, the Rock Port Fire Department, and Atchison-Holt Ambulance Service.