Fast falling snow slows drivers

Snow began blanketing the Mahoning and Shenango valleys a few hours earlier than expected on Saturday afternoon, in some cases before salt trucks and plows were on the roads.

Numerous wrecks were reported.

Hubbard Township police were on the scene of a one-car mishap on state Routes 62/7 near Interstate 80. The truck driver couldn’t stop and slid through a light and into the ditch on the eastbound lane.

Boardman Township, meanwhile, reported 30 accidents within 30 minutes, just as the storm began between 3 and 3:30 p.m., as Christmas shoppers navigated in and around U.S. Route 224 stores.