Numerous car crashes reported across area highways as snow falls, winds pick up

This tractor-trailer jacknifed on southbound I-75 near Bay Creek Road in Erie, Mich.

The Blade/ Andy Morrison
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A non-municipal truck sports a plow in Perrysburg. Officials declared a Level 1 Snow Emergency in Lucas County after snowfall today made driving hazardous.

A fast-moving storm delivered a quick two inches of snow to Toledo Express Airport during the afternoon, bringing the official snowfall total to date for this winter to 38.1 inches -- half an inch more than Toledo receives for an entire average winter.

The snow contributed to a fatal collision on the Ohio Turnpike in Fulton County and to numerous less-severe crashes elsewhere in the region.

PHOTO GALLERY: Click here for more photos in the snow today

Christopher Gasper, 26, of Orland Hills, Ill., died after he lost control of his car on the turnpike’s snow-covered westbound lanes near the State Rt. 66 interchange north of Archbold, Ohio about 2:14 p.m., troopers at the Ohio Highway Patrol’s Swanton post reported.

Mr. Gasper’s car collided with another car, then was hit by a tractor-trailer, sending his car into a ditch. The other car’s driver was not hurt, while truck driver William T. Jackson, 50, of Cleveland, was taken to Fulton County Health Center in Wauseon for treatment of injuries troopers said were not life-threatening.

A pickup-semi collision Thursday afternoon in Monroe County, meanwhile, left a Monroe woman critically injured.

Jessica Maney, 28, was northbound in the center lane when she lost control and her spinning pickup was struck in the driver’s-side door by a tractor-trailer driven by James Provins III, 49, of Macomb, Mich., Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies said.

Ms. Maney was taken to Oakwood Southshore Hospital in Trenton, Mich. Mr. Provins was not injured.

Crashes in Toledo were mostly minor, but one closed a lane on I-75 near downtown for several hours when a semi’s ruptured fuel tank spilled diesel on the roadway.

Forecasters said another inch or so could fall overnight. More light snow was predicted for Friday.