Slick roadways cause morning crashes

An inch of rain yesterday combined with freezing temperatures made for slick roadways this morning, causing dozens of accidents including a crash involving a Maryland State Police trooper.

Roads could be icy again this weekend, according to a meteorologist from the National Weather Service.

At 5:30 a.m., the trooper, 34, was driving to work when his cruiser slid on a patch of black ice in the 8100 block of Hogneck Road and struck two utility poles, state police said.

The cruiser went into an embankment and flipped over near Elizabeth Road, county police said. A utility pole landed on top of the vehicle.

The trooper was taken by ambulance to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore with serious injuries, said Capt. Debbie Bowen, a county Fire Department spokesman.

A portion of Hogneck Road was shut down for almost three hours while county police investigated. Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. was called to handle the downed utility poles and salt trucks were called to cover the slick roadway, police said. One lane was opened at 8:15 a.m.

The on-ramp from Bestgate Road to westbound Route 50 in Parole was closed briefly this morning following a single-vehicle crash, state police said.

A vehicle was entering the ramp at about 7:30 a.m. when the driver encountered a patch of ice and lost control, crashing into a guardrail.

The driver was not injured. However, the ramp was closed for about 20 minutes while salt trucks treated the ramp to prevent further accidents, state police said.

And at 8 a.m., two vehicles collided after a vehicle slid on the Cape St. Claire exit ramp off

Route 50.

The accident was not serious and neither driver was injured.

It was a busy night for emergency workers.

Between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., firefighters responded to 17 injury accidents, said Capt. Bowen.

The freezing temperatures combined with yesterday's rainfall of 1.37 inches caused certain roadways to ice over.

"You got a lot of rain, and then after the rain was over temperatures got down to freezing," said Calvin Meadows, a meteorological technician for the National Weather Service in Sterling, Va. "Places like bridges, overpasses, and ramps tend to freeze first. So you may be driving along and the regular road may be damp or look wet, and you may not be having a problem. But then you use the exit ramp or overpass and if you are not paying attention you may hit that black ice."

Portions of regular roadways may also be frozen in certain spots.

"If it's cold enough and the ground gets cold enough, you will get ice to form on that area of the road," he said.

Temperatures will be in the lower 40s today, with winds from 15 to 20 mph and partly cloudy skies, Mr. Meadows said. Tonight will be warmer than last night, with temperatures staying in the low 40s. And tomorrow will be sunny, with highs in the upper 30s.

Temperatures will dip to the upper 20s tomorrow night, and icy roads are likely to return this weekend.

On Saturday, county residents should expect freezing rain and snow in the morning, and rain in the afternoon, Mr. Meadows said. There is a 70 percent chance of precipitation that day, with highs in the upper 30s. There is a 50 percent chance of rain and snow Saturday night, and temperatures will again dip to the mid 20s.

Meteorologists are expecting some of the coldest air of the season to sweep through Sunday and last until Wednesday.

"On Wednesday the highs will only be in the upper 20s," Mr. Meadows said.