Wintry mix takes toll on Ohioans

ASSOCIATED PRESS
HEAVY SNOW CLOAKED PARTS OF OHIO ON THURSDAY, FORCING SCHOOL CANCELLATIONS AND TURNING HIGHWAYS INTO SKATING RINKS.
WESTERN OHIO TOOK THE EARLY BRUNT OF THE STORM, WITH 5.2 INCHES REPORTED IN LOGAN COUNTY BY EARLY AFTERNOON.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAID THE LARGEST ACCUMULATIONS WERE EXPECTED IN NORTHWEST OHIO, WITH UP TO 7 INCHES FORECAST FOR TOLEDO.
IN THE DAYTON AREA, STATE TROOPERS RESPONDED TO ABOUT 20 CRASHES, MOST OF THEM FENDER BENDERS ON INTERSTATE 70. TROOPERS TENDED TO AN EQUAL NUMBER OF CALLS OF VEHICLES SLIDING INTO DITCHES.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY ENGINEER JOSEPH LITVIN SAID 21 SNOW-REMOVAL TRUCKS WERE MOBILIZED BY 7 A.M.
"IT WAS A QUICK SNOW," LITVIN SAID. "AT 6:15 A.M., WE HAD NOTHING. AT 7 A.M., IT WAS COMING DOWN AN INCH AN HOUR. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM OUR TRUCKS RAN IN TO WAS HAVING TO REPORT A LOT OF ACCIDENTS."
IN ASHTABULA COUNTY IN NORTHEAST OHIO, 3 INCHES FELL BY MIDDAY THURSDAY.
ROADS WERE SLICK WITH A CHANGING MIX OF SNOW, SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN. THE LATEST SNOWFALL RAISED THE TOTAL ON THE GROUND TO 7 INCHES IN SOME AREAS.