Posted on 03/03/2020 4:07:40 PM PST by Hojczyk
More than 100 vehicles were involved in a series of crashes over the weekend on an interstate in Wyoming that left three people dead and dozens injured, officials revealed on Monday.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol said in a news release that the crashes began around 3:39 p.m. Sunday around milepost 181 and 184 on Interstate 80 near the city of Rawlins, about 180 miles west of Cheyenne.
"Weather is reported to be a factor in these crashes," police said.
The 100-vehicle pileup, and another one nearby around the same time involving 40 vehicles, happened in snowy, blustery weather. A photo released on Monday showed wrecked, mangled tractor-trailers still on the roadway.
About 30 people were taken to the emergency room at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County in Rawlins, hospital spokeswoman Stephanie Hinkle told the Casper Star-Tribune.
Officials at the 25-bed hospital expected more injured pe ople to arrive Monday. They called in three extra doctors and set up a temporary patient holding area in a cafeteria.
The smaller pileup, on I-80 just 4 miles away from the larger pileup, injured at least seven people, including one person who was hospitalized in critical condition, Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jason Mower said.
A video posted to YouTube by David Cuarezma showed the aftermath of the crash. Cuarezma described I-80 as the "most dangerous road in United States." In the video, the wreckage of semi-trucks and other debris can be seen on the roadway.
A 200-mile stretch of westbound I-80 from Laramie to Rock Springs was still closed Monday and Wyoming Department of Transportation officials did not expect it to reopen until sometime on Tuesday.
Forecasters predicted snow driven by wind up to 50 mph would continue affecting travel throughout the day.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
From what I understand, Wyoming does not plow the Interstates going through Wyoming.
Interstate 80 in Wyoming—the Snow Chi Minh Trail
“From what I understand, Wyoming does not plow the Interstates going through Wyoming.”
Geez. No wonder that car hit that snowplow!
It is the truckers on I80...most have never driven in snow and it is really tough on the open I-80...wind blows there all the time even in good weather...
I lived in Colorado Springs and worked in Teluride. one winter...got to Monarch Pass and the sun was out..and it said TRUCKERS chain up...well most did not because the sun was out...well they were all over the road when you got up on the pass..
One summer I drove I-80 across Wyoming.
In the distance I could see some sort of object on the horizon, but couldnt make it out.
Kept getting closer, but still couldn’t tell what it was.
Finally, I got closed enough to see...
It was a tree.
A single, solitary tree.
Yes, it’s that barren up there.
I didn’t know that you have to slow down in the snow. Gee. What a bunch of dumbasses.
I went through conditions like that on I-70 going through Illinois several years ago. I stopped for the night to get off the highway. The next morning, I saw numerous overturned trucks and cars stuck in the snow.
Long time ago I worked as a mud logger in the oil/gas patch right near there a few miles outside of Wamsutter.
Looked a lot like that big pic a lotta the time I was there.
In one stretch we had wind chills of ~40°below for a week straight.
T’was an amazing experience . . .
LOL Excellent
Wow!
Cuarezma described I-80 as the “most dangerous road in United States
I 80 runs right through my town — seen my share of accidents
Once you drop down the hill east of Laramie, its nearly every man for himself.
Spent one winter in Laramie. Aint the end of the world but you sure as hell can see it from there.
Poor truckers probably risk getting fired for not driving through it.
Yes driver of snow many times in my country.
“the Snow Chi Minh Trail”
That is just genius.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl6Iz4dXGdg
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.