Politics & Government

Icy Conditions Cause Nearly 350 Crashes In Cobb

Cobb Police encourage residents to stay off the roads. Many bridges in Austell, Mableton and Smyrna are iced over.

Cobb County police urge drivers to stay off the roads because of the icy conditions  and to report only injury-related crashes.

"We are probably holding 200-plus crashes throughout the county," said Sgt. Dana Pierce of the Cobb County police on Wednesday night at about 7:30 p.m. The number reached nearly 350 by midnight.

"Right now, we are not responding to any property-damage crashes," he said. 

Find out what's happening in South Cobbwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Cobb County Schools are opening two hours late on Thursday due to the weather conditions.

According to Pierce, the storm system is moving from southwest to northeast. All parts of Cobb County have been affected, although East Cobb is the least affected, he said.

Find out what's happening in South Cobbwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

There were several crashes on South Cobb Drive, including a five-car pileup. In the parking lot of Austell's Wal-Mart, a man fell on a patch of ice and was carried away in an ambulance on Wednesday night.

"There are parts of almost every road that are covered in black ice," Pierce said.

Particular danger lies in the fact that much of the ice is "sporadic," meaning drivers may be cruising at a normal speed before losing control on an icy patch, he said.

The City of Austell issued a statement on its Facebook page saying that city crews  out placing a sand/salt mix on icy roads in the area.

Officials urge people to stay off the roads if possible. Drivers involved in property-damage-related incidents should exchange insurance information, said Pierce, again emphasizing that safety officials are responding only to injury-related crashes.

A winter weather advisory for Cobb County and most of north Georgia is in effect until 7 a.m. Thursday. The National Weather Service warns of the threat of icy patches, particularly on bridges, overpasses and elevated surfaces.


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