1 Truck Driver, 4 Motorists Dead So Far In Monster Winter Storm Gia
Monster winter storm Gia has already claimed the lives of 1 truck driver and 4 motorists while injuring and stranding many more.
St. Louis, Missouri – Giant winter storm Gia is wreaking havoc across the midwest having already claimed 5 lives, including 1 truck driver, and leaving more than 1,250 motorists stranded just in Missouri alone.
Gia began its grip on interstates in Missouri, including I-70 and I-44, on Friday night as snow blanketed areas in and around St. Louis. More than 800 motorists became stranded during rush hour Friday evening along I-44 leading officials to close down significant stretches of both I-70 and I-44, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol (MHP).
The monster storm dumped more than 17 inches of snow along some areas and created almost impassable conditions for motorists. More than 700 crashes had been reported as of Saturday morning and at least 300 vehicles had slid off of the road, according to the MHP.
5 Lives Claimed So Far Including 1 Truck Driver
MHP reported a woman and her 14-year-old stepdaughter perished when their  car slid into the path of a semitrailer on Friday in Clinton, about 80 miles southeast of Kansas City. Another woman died when her car slid on U.S. 24 in northern Missouri and was hit by an oncoming SUV, officials said.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson took to Twitter to urge motorists to stay off of the treacherous roadways and allow crews to continue doing their best to clear the snow.
Just finished a briefing from @NWS @MoPublicSafety @MoDOT @MoSEMA_ & @MSHPTrooperGHQ – as our dedicated road and emergency crews continue to fight this storm, please stay off the roads. Lots of work being done in St. Louis area and the snow isn’t letting up anytime soon.
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) January 12, 2019
In Kansas, At least one truck driver has died as a result of injuries he suffered in a crash involving two semi-trailers on Friday evening, according to the Highway Patrol. A 62-year-old man also died after his pickup truck skidded on the Kansas Turnpike and hit a concrete barrier, officials confirmed.
Meanwhile, in Iowa, the Associated Press reported southbound lanes of Interstate 35 near Decatur City remained closed Saturday morning after a passenger bus carrying seven passengers struck an overturned tractor-trailer, injuring one.
The storm is also grounding air travelers as more than 250 flights have been cancelled due to dangerous icy conditions.
For more on the projected path of winter storm Gia and additional winter weather advisories click HERE.
There is very slick travel on I-70 near Brownsville, Ohio, where more snow is expected to continue overnight into Sunday: https://t.co/ebSgC8ifd8 https://t.co/heVHypiyH9
— AccuWeather (@breakingweather) January 12, 2019
This winter storm is producing widespread snow and some freezing rain from the central plains to the Mid-Atlantic region. Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories are in effect into Sunday as snow spreads from west to east: https://t.co/6TctipRzuqhttps://t.co/wJrMHBlrTw
— AccuWeather (@breakingweather) January 13, 2019
Up to 7 inches of snow have accumulated across portions of Ohio, and another inch or so is possible before the snow ends on Sunday morning: https://t.co/gRovSdmAhM https://t.co/mHurTNRLZH
— AccuWeather (@breakingweather) January 13, 2019
Find more scenes below of stranded motorists and overturned semis along I-70 near Indianapolis courtesy of Ohio Storm Chasers.
Images courtesy of weather.com
