Slick roads lead to Sunday night wrecks

Law enforcement officers in Cape Girardeau County began warning motorists just after 6 p.m. Sunday that speeds on Interstate 55 and numerous county highways were slowed and roads were slippery from a mixture of snow and rain.

According to a dispatcher, conditions were the worst between mile marker 102 and 110 southbound on Interstate 55.

A ten-car accident was reported just after 7 p.m. Sunday at mile marker 92 southbound on Interstate 55.

Before 7 p.m. Sunday, about seven vehicles traveling southbound had slid off the interstate. The number had more than doubled by 8 p.m.

Extra patrols were going on duty around 7:20 p.m. to help with the large number of accidents.

Roads began to get slippery around 6 p.m. in Cape Girardeau. One officer advised dispatchers to notify city street crews and the Missouri Department of Transportation of the deteriorating road conditions.

A property-damage accident occurred around 6:15 p.m. at the intersection of Independence Street and Sunset Boulevard. No one was hurt in the two-car accident.

At mile marker 105 on Interstate 55 southbound, a vehicle reportedly hit the guard rail around 6:45 p.m. and was partially blocking the roadway. According to evening scanner traffic, no one was hurt in the accident.

About 7:30 p.m. on U.S. 61 and Route Y, a vehicle slid off the roadway and partially blocked traffic until officers could respond.

It is unknown if anyone was injured during Sunday evening's weather-related accidents.

Although there was minimal snow accumulating in Cape Girardeau County on Sunday, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Greg Meffert, the area remained in a winter weather advisory until noon today.

Meffert said Cape Girardeau was expected to get about one inch of snow, but motorists can expect roads to be slick in the early morning hours from the rain and temperatures that are expected to drop to around 20 degrees overnight.

Snow totals are predicted to be higher northeast of Cape Girardeau.