Winter’s return causes crashes, injuries, 1 death

Eastern Iowa's 10-day January thaw ended with a wintry blast Monday, propelled by a north wind that reintroduced the region to blizzard conditions.

The western two-thirds of the state caught the worst of it, but blustery conditions made rural travel difficult-to-dangerous.

Highway 218 remained closed Monday night from Highway 30 north to Gilbertville, and Highway 63 was closed from just north of Traer to Highway 20 nearn Cedar Falls.

Everywhere, visibility was hampered by drifting snow that drifted across highways. And even in town, the cold froze meltwater on sidewalks and streets, sending dozens to local emergency rooms.

“Just a variety of injuries - strains, sprains, head injuries” from falls on icy pavement, said Sarah Corizzo, spokeswoman for St. Luke's Hospital, where 45 people were treated for weather-related injuries through late Monday afternoon.

“We've had quite a few,” said Denice Connell, Mercy Iowa City spokeswoman. “A lot of wrist injuries, wrists and ankles from falls on the ice.”

About 30 people were treated at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, with about half the patients undergoing surgery for fractures, spokeswoman Karen Vandersanden said.

“Most of them (from) falls, a little more than half have been fractures with the patients being sent up to the OR,” said Vandersanden. Most of the injuries were to the lower extremities and elbow, according to Vandersanden.

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City reported a handful of injuries from falls.

A winter weather advisory covering Linn, Johnson, Buchanan Delaware, Benton, Keokuk, and Washington counties was lifted at midnight as winds eased, allowing clear, cold weather to settle over the region today. Nighttime temperatures at Cedar Rapids are expected to drop through the single digits to below zero Thursday and Friday nights, but a warming trend should begin Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Cedar Rapids police handled more than 40 accidents, none resulting in serious injury, Sgt. Joe Clark said.

In Iowa City and Coralville combined, roughly 19 accidents were responded to, but no major injuries were reported.

In Johnson County, about 40 cars slid into the ditch between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. While no major injuries were reported, two ambulances brought people to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Walker Kramme, 11, of Toddville, was taken to St. Luke's Hospital after a collision along County Home Road. The Linn County Sheriff's Office said Walker was riding west in a vehicle driven by Dalton Kramme, 15, about 3:40 p.m. when Matthew Strope, 18, of Robins, lost control of his westbound vehicle, which crossed the centerline and struck Kramme's.

Information on Walker Kramme's condition wasn't released, but sheriff's Sgt. Richard Yoder said his injuries didn't appear life-threatening.

At 7:15 a.m. Monday, a Linn-Mar school bus slid off the road the intersection of Cory Road and Martin Creek Road. No students were on the bus, and no one was hurt, a Linn County dispatcher said.

Jeff Raasch and Anna Lothson contributed to this story.