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Heavy snowfall brought a surge of crashes and emergency calls to Nebraska’s capital city this week as up to 7 inches of snow fell on Lincoln.The Lincoln Police Department responded to 95 crashes across the city Thursday, surpassing the previous single-day record of 90 set in December 2020.“Snowfall led to a record-breaking number of crashes in Lincoln,” said Erika Thomas, a public information officer for LPD.Thomas said the 95 reported crashes do not include other snow-related incidents, such as roadside assists and traffic hazards or incidents where people exchanged numbers and left before officers responded, pushing the total number of crash responses into the triple digits.The Lincoln Emergency Communications Center answered 834 calls between 3 and 7 p.m.”That’s approximately four times the average number of calls we typically see during that time frame,” Thomas said.In one incident, police said an officer positioned his cruiser in the path of an apparently impaired driver traveling on the wrong side of the road. The driver struck the cruiser.”The sergeant had a headache and some neck pain from the crash, but is expected to be OK,” Thomas said.The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office also reported being overwhelmed by calls.“We had more accidents and calls for service than we are able to have deputies out to,” Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said.The winter storm also altered activity at the Nebraska Legislature, where some lawmakers remained in Lincoln overnight as travel conditions worsened. The extended stay provided an opportunity for informal conversations among senators after weeks of contentious floor debate.“It was an opportunity to talk to some of my colleagues a little bit more than I normally get to, in a social aspect,” said Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha.The legislative session is now halfway complete.By Friday, streets in Lincoln had largely been cleared, but authorities urged drivers to remain cautious.“We ask all drivers to continue driving for the conditions by slowing down and giving yourself extra stopping distance,” Thomas said.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Heavy snowfall brought a surge of crashes and emergency calls to Nebraska’s capital city this week as up to 7 inches of snow fell on Lincoln.
The Lincoln Police Department responded to 95 crashes across the city Thursday, surpassing the previous single-day record of 90 set in December 2020.
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“Snowfall led to a record-breaking number of crashes in Lincoln,” said Erika Thomas, a public information officer for LPD.
Thomas said the 95 reported crashes do not include other snow-related incidents, such as roadside assists and traffic hazards or incidents where people exchanged numbers and left before officers responded, pushing the total number of crash responses into the triple digits.
The Lincoln Emergency Communications Center answered 834 calls between 3 and 7 p.m.
“That’s approximately four times the average number of calls we typically see during that time frame,” Thomas said.
In one incident, police said an officer positioned his cruiser in the path of an apparently impaired driver traveling on the wrong side of the road. The driver struck the cruiser.
“The sergeant had a headache and some neck pain from the crash, but is expected to be OK,” Thomas said.
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office also reported being overwhelmed by calls.
“We had more accidents and calls for service than we are able to have deputies out to,” Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said.
The winter storm also altered activity at the Nebraska Legislature, where some lawmakers remained in Lincoln overnight as travel conditions worsened. The extended stay provided an opportunity for informal conversations among senators after weeks of contentious floor debate.
“It was an opportunity to talk to some of my colleagues a little bit more than I normally get to, in a social aspect,” said Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha.
The legislative session is now halfway complete.
By Friday, streets in Lincoln had largely been cleared, but authorities urged drivers to remain cautious.
“We ask all drivers to continue driving for the conditions by slowing down and giving yourself extra stopping distance,” Thomas said.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
