Multiple crashes reported across metro Friday morning
Crews were at the scene of a crash along Interstate 494 Friday morning.[MnDOT Traffic Camera]
Multiple spinouts and crashes were reported across the Twin Cities metro area Friday morning.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) stated Friday morning a crash had blocked three lanes of traffic on westbound I-94, and affected a stretch of roadway from I-35E to St. Anthony Avenue, however, traffic was able to pass by on the shoulder.
The crash happened around 6 a.m. Friday. The crash site has since been cleared.
According to the State Patrol, another crash involving a state trooper’s squad happened shortly after 7:30 a.m. on northbound I-35 at Highway 36. Authorities say the trooper was outside his car investigating a one-vehicle crash when another vehicle rear-ended the squad.
The State Patrol says the collision caused the squad car to hit the vehicle involved in the earlier crash. Luckily, the trooper was not injured, despite being outside his squad car when the crash happened. The driver of the vehicle which had crashed earlier was not at the scene. Meanwhile, authorities say the driver of the vehicle which hit the trooper’s squad suffered minor injuries but didn’t need medical assistance.
Black ice is possible on roads across the metro. As 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS previously reported, MnDOT states 15 degrees is the temperature when the use of salt and brine starts to lose effect on roads.
The Minnesota State Patrol says from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, there were 212 crashes, with 21 injuries coming from those crashes. In addition, another 54 vehicles spun off the road during that same timeframe.
Make sure to follow KSTP traffic reporter Hanna Conway on Twitter for the latest on crashes throughout the area – check out the feed below for her latest updates.