Sleet Hits the North Shore Tuesday

While it sprinkled and drizzled Tuesday, it was just cold enough that much of that moisture partially froze into a sloppy, slippery mess, leading to many accidents, spin-outs and rollovers throughout Milwaukee County.

According to a press release from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to 14 crashes between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.  Four rollover crashes occurred throughout Milwaukee in just a one-hour time span. Two people were extricated from a vehicle at a crash at , resulting in the closure of all three lanes and diverting traffic to the Port Washington Road off ramp. Mequon Fire Department was on scene for this roller as of 2 p.m. to help get the occupants of the vehicle out, and flip the vehicle back over — though it is not yet known whether injuries were suffered in that crash.

A rollover also occurred at southbound I-43 at Capitol Drive requiring lane closures for more than three hours while the roof of the vehicle was cut off to remove the injured driver MCSO said. Other rollovers occurred at eastbound I-43 at 108th St. and at northbound I-894 at Beloit Rd.  Deputies responded to multiple crashes in the vicinity of I-894 and Beloit Rd. and spinouts throughout Milwaukee.

Rapidly changing conditions from wet to slippery roads, and drivers going too fast for conditions, were the main causes of the crashes MCSO said. Twenty-eight salt trucks were sent out, and squads were deployed from other divisions to assist the freeway patrol.