Midwest Storm Blamed for at Least 6 Traffic Deaths

A winter storm that blew across the Midwest on Jan. 20 was blamed for at least six traffic deaths in the region, as it dumped more than a foot of snow in some parts and was expected to leave sub-zero temperatures in its wake.

The wintry weather also closed down schools and offices and sent plows and salt trucks working overtime to clear the roads.

In western Indiana, three people driving to a funeral were killed when their car collided with a semitrailer on a state road near the town of Waveland, about 50 miles west of Indianapolis, around 10 a.m. Montgomery County sheriff’s Chief Deputy Ryan Needham identified the victims as 25-year-old Anthony Suggs of Ruskin, Fla., 21-year-old Logan R. Mills of Suwanee, Ga., and 25-year-old Amanda S. Mills of Buford, Ga.

Three people also died in Oklahoma in separate vehicle crashes early in the morning. Authorities said each of the three men appeared to have skidded off the icy roads while driving on highways in western and southern parts of the state.

The fatal accidents happened as the storm blanketed most of Oklahoma with 2 to 4 inches of snow.

Northeastern Kansas had up to 8 inches of snow on Jan. 20, and Missouri residents saw as much as 15 inches north of St. Louis.

National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Sieveking said the storm was concentrated on a narrow band over Interstate 70 in the central part of the state. Despite hundreds of trouble calls, including several overturned tractor-trailers, Missouri authorities reported no serious incidents.