Traffic accidents flood 911 center with calls

By By Derreck Booth/Scott Grant

Posted 8:20PM on Wednesday, January 2, 2002

GAINESVILLE - The afternoon snowfall wreaked havoc on roads in Hall County Wednesday afternoon. Over 15 accidents had occurred before 7:00 p.m., resulting in at least five with injuries. The words "overturned vehicle in a ditch" were all too common as snow fell, melted and then re-froze into ice on the roads. Injury accidents in Hall County included three or more vehicles that collided on Blackstock Road off Athens Highway before 4:45 p.m. Around 5:00 p.m. injuries were reported in an accident on Atlanta Highway near C.W. Davis Middle School. Interstate 985 at Friendship Road an overturned vehicle resulted in injuries and traffic tie-ups after 5:00 p.m. Also after 5:00 p.m., at least one person was trapped in an overturned vehicle on Martin Road. Earlier in the afternoon, authorities in Habersham County shut down Dix Hill Parkway between Tommy Irvin and Hulsey Roads for over an hour because of an accident. The Hall County 911 center was inundated with calls as motorists piled into one another and ran off the roads. Operators were so tied up with calls, they were unable to advise as to the severity of injuries in the multitude of wrecks. Icy spots began popping up in the 2:00 p.m. hour and worsened as the sun went down. As the evening continued, the traffic accident continued to come in. At about 6:52 p.m., reports indicated a Gainesville Police vehicle was involved in an accident with either a State Patrol or Hall County Sheriff's Office vehicle. While injuries were reported, no details were available as to the location or severity of the accident. One accident involving injuries is being blamed on icy roads Wednesday night. Several more minor ones happened between seven and seven-45. Hall County Sheriff's Sergeant Ken Nix says most of those occurred when vehicles slid off a road and into a ditch. Motorists are being asked to drive with caution and stay off roads if possible. The accident with injuries happened on Friendship Road in front of the elementary school. Doctors at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville kept one person overnight and let the other go after treatment. The Georgia Department of Transportation is treating icy spots with salt and sand as they are found.