Following massive snowfall Friday and Saturday, area law enforcement has worked a high number of accidents.
However no fatal crashes had been reported in Callaway County as of Monday morning.
Kathy Pate, records clerk for the Fulton Police Department, officers in Fulton responded to 20 slide-offs and nine accidents between Friday and Sunday. None involved serious injuries.
"We've had higher (numbers of accidents during snow events)," Major Roger Rice said on Monday morning "That's actually not too bad."
By Monday, traffic incidents had returned to normal levels, he said. He credited the tireless work of road crews with the relatively low number of accidents.
"Missouri Department of Transportation and city street crews did an outstanding job of opening snow routes and getting traffic moving," Rice said. "They should be commended."
Highway patrol
Missouri Highway Patrol's Troop F reported four crashes in Callaway County since Friday morning. Weather was a factor in some, but not all of those accidents, according to crash reports.
At 8:39 a.m. Friday, Linnea Swansen, 21, of Columbia, was heading west on U.S. 54 when she rear-ended Mathew Brunk, 42, of Auxvasse. Swansen received minor injuries and was taken to University Hospital. Both drivers were using seatbelts. Swanswen's 2015 Jeep was extensively damaged, while Brunk's 2017 Ford F250 was moderately damaged.
At 4:10 p.m. the same day, Tanya Mikesell, 49, of Union, Kentucky, was driving east on Interstate 70. She attempted to pass Dustin Kreigh, 30, of Kendallville, Indiana, at mile marker 145.8. Her 2015 Kia Sportage struck the driver's side of Kreigh's 1995 Freightliner and the two vehicles drove off the right side of the roadway. Both drivers were using seatbelts. Mikesell received minor injuries and was transported to University Hospital. Both vehicles were moderately damaged.
On Saturday afternoon, Melvin Underwood, 53, of Fulton, was driving north on Old U.S. 54, near Larand Drive. He lost control of his 1991 Dodge Colt at 4:48 p.m., sliding across the center line and colliding with a 2003 Ford F250 driven by James Lutes, 36, of Warrensburg.
Underwood and his passenger, 33-year-old Jason Childers, of Holts Summit, were moderately injured; neither wore a seatbelt. Lutes, who was using his seatbelt, received minor inuries. All three were taken to University Hospital. The Dodge was totaled and the Ford was extensively damaged.
Sunday morning, Daniel Leslie, 44, of Tebbetts, was driving south on Route AA, north of Meller Road. At 9:43 p.m., he failed to negotiate a curve and slid off the road's left side, striking a utility pole. Leslie, who was not wearing a safety device, received minor injuries and was taken to St. Mary's Hospital. His 2003 Ford F150 was totaled.
Beyond Callaway County
The winter storm's impacts were felt well past Callaway County's borders. As of Saturday afternoon, Missouri Highway Patrol troopers had responded to help nearly 1,800 stranded motorists. They had also been called to 878 crashes, 57 of which involved injuries and four of which resulted in fatalities.
Missouri Highway Patrol spokespeople urged drivers to avoid traveling.
At Columbia Regional Airport, an American Airlines aircraft slid off the runway Friday afternoon, airport spokesman Mike Parks told multiple news outlets. No injuries were reported among the 80 passengers arriving from Dallas-Fort Worth. Both runways were closed following the incident.