2 deaths blamed on snow, police flooded with calls

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. - The record setting snow storm is blamed for two traffic-related deaths in Virginia, prompting officials to review the number of calls for help dispatchers received over the weekend.

One person was killed on the roads in Fauquier County, and one on the roads in Carroll County over the weekend, said Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller.

Statewide, between Friday and Sunday, state police dispatchers logged 16,042 calls for service - a 42 percent increase in calls for service from the weekend before, said Geller.

In the Virginia State Police Northern District, which includes Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Arlington counties, and the City of Alexandria, officials reported 278 car crashes, and 695 disabled vehicles over the weekend, with a total of 2,287 calls for help overall, said Geller.

Locally in Prince William County, officials are tallying the numbers of reported crashes as residents continue to dig out from the double digit snowfall that blanketed the county.

Before snowflakes fell on Friday the department announced it would use white 4x4 SUVs to respond to calls for help. The vehicles were marked “police” on the side, and the department in a news release asked residents with questions about the vehicles to call the agency.

And just as their police counter parts at the state level did, Prince William police responded to multiple calls for help during the storm, said spokeswoman Erika Hernandez.

“Approximately 183 calls were received, reporting crashes involving vehicles, starting Friday, until Monday morning,” said Hernandez.

While there were more than 183 crashes in Prince William during the storm, the agency’s accident policy was temporarily modified Friday, because of the weather. Officers who were called to crashes only took a report if a person involved in the crash was injured, said Hernandez.

Many of the crashes police were called to involved reports of property damage to cars, and hit and run damage to cars, said Hernandez.

Prince William police reinstated their accident policy of taking full accident reports for all reported crashes on Monday.

Some county police officers Monday were still using the white SUVs to respond to calls for help, as many of the county’s streets remained covered in a sheet of packed snow and ice.

Drivers who abandoned their cars on the sides of highways was also a problem state police and plow crews over the weekend, said Geller.

Drivers who still have cars along the side of the highways are encouraged to call a wrecker service to have it removed. For those with questions about their vehicles, and to see if thier abandoned car has already been removed from a state highway, vehicle owners are encouraged to call Virginia State Police at 804-674-2000.

Drivers are reminded to slow down on the highways this week, as an increased number of snow removal equipment and service vehicles remain on the roads, said Geller.

State law requires motorist to move over when they see a stopped emergency vehicle with its lights flashing on the side of the highway. For those who cannot move over, drivers are required to at least slow down, said Geller.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.