By Kenneth Dean, Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas)
Fast-moving rains had law enforcement and first responders across East Texas busy with car accidents that left some in the dark just hours before an arctic front is expected to engulf the area in a deep freeze.
The front, which is anticipated to drop temperatures into the 20s by Wednesday night and possibly produce snow flurries in the area, collided with warm Gulf air and produced the thunderstorms.
Tyler police and firefighters were busy early Tuesday evening with multiple traffic accidents.
Tyler Police Lt. Diannia Jackson said between five and 10 accidents happened between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
“We had a two-car major accident in the 7900 block of U.S. Highway 69 about 6:30 p.m.,” she said.
Lt. Jackson said a red Chevrolet pickup that was headed north hydroplaned and went into the southbound lane, where it collided with a late-model white Chevrolet Suburban.
“There were seven transported to the hospital and a 2-year-old was flown to a hospital in Dallas. At this time, I don’t have any names, but the 2-year-old is critical,” she said.
Lt. Jackson said motorists need to practice caution when driving in inclement weather.
“They definitely need to slow down on wet roadways,” she said.
Texas Department of Public Safety officials in Tyler said they responded to seven accidents due to wet roadways during the same time period.
“It was hectic here earlier,” an official said.
A one-car accident in Chandler plunged about 2,000 Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative customers into darkness and left repairmen out in the rainy weather for hours trying to restore the power late Tuesday night.
Henderson County DPS trooper Scott Smith said a 61-year-old woman was traveling south on Farm-to-Market Road 315 about four miles out of Chandler when her vehicle left the roadway and struck a utility pole.
“She has had some previous neck surgery and she was stretching her neck. Just that little amount of time caused her to lose control of her car on the wet roadway and she hit the pole,” he said.
Smith said the woman was transported to Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler due to injuries, but he believed she was in stable condition.
“She was talking to witnesses, so I don’t think her injuries are life-threatening. It could have been a lot worse,” he said.
Todd Tanner, TVEC chief lineman, said about 2,000 customers were without power due to the accident that blocked FM 315 for more than four hours.
“We are hoping to get everyone’s power back on by midnight, but that depends on whether or not the police keep traffic blocked for us,” he said.