Snows plays havoc with traffic, puts emergency crews in action

Published 3:40 pm Wednesday, January 3, 2018

THOMASVILLE — Those frilly-looking little white things that flowed from the sky and landed in piles was a rare snowfall that fell on Thomas County and the surrounding area Wednesday morning.

The U.S. 84 West bridge over Ochlockonee River iced over resulting in an eight-vehicle pileup, including a tractor-trailer, before sunrise, according to reports. Vehicles slid across the ice and struck the bridge. Seven people were taken to Archbold Memorial Hospital for treatment. None of the injuries were serious.

A Thomas County Sheriff’s Office vehicle was struck in the bridge incident after a deputy arrived at the site to direct traffic and render aid.

Ochlockonee River bridges on U.S. 19 North and Ga. 3 also iced over, causing vehicles to slid into the structures. No injuries resulted.

Sleet and snow fell as the crashes continued on the bridges, said Capt. Steven Jones, sheriff’s office public information officer.

Another crash occurred on the 84 bypass during the inclement weather. Jones said one vehicle overturned.

Thomas County-maintained bridges were spared ice after public works crews put sand on the structures about 3 a.m. Wednesday.

“We’ve had no problem on the county bridges,” Jones said. “It’s all been on the state routes.”

All Thomas County Emergency Medical Service (EMS) ambulances were in service early Wednesday morning. Colquitt County requested mutual aid to transport a heart patient, said Tim Coram, Thomas County EMS director. Colquitt ambulances also were in full service, but one became available while a Thomas County ambulance was en route to Colquitt County.

Problems began as soon as people began moving about Wednesday morning, said Chris Jones, Thomas County Fire/Rescue chief and emergency management director.

As snow fell and ice formed, a large shed caught on fire on North Pinetree Boulevard.

In a separate incident on South Pinetree Boulevard, a vehicle hit ice and traveled into the path of a fire truck. A collision was avoided when the fire trick maneuvered away from the vehicle, Jones said.

Five county fire/rescue employees were delayed in getting to work because of traffic backed up on U.S. 84 East in Brooks County as the result of a traffic crash.

Thomasville police responded to three weather-related wrecks and assisted motorists in three other calls.

City solid waste crews were delayed in Wednesday morning rounds morning until snow began to melt.

Thomasville utilities, including electricity and CNS, had no outages.

City public works crews assisted the Georgia Department of Transportation in erecting barriers at the North Madison Street overpass.