Bridges Extremely Slick For Tuesday Commuters

Law enforcement and emergency personnel responded to numerous accidents throughout the Jefferson City area, Tuesday morning.

The culprit apparently was black ice.

After the rain that came Monday, there was not enough time for bridge surfaces to dry.

Many of the accidents involve injuries, some serious.

Between the hours of 6:30 am and 8:20 am, Jefferson City police officers worked 35 non-injury accidents and 5 minor injury accidents throughout the city area.

U.S. 54 at Monticello Road was also opened up at this time after a truck and trailer hauling horses overturned at that location earlier in the morning. One of the horses was killed and had to be removed from the road to allow traffic to get through.

The highway patrol confirmed Tuesday afternoon that a Columbia man was killed in a two vehicle accident that occurred on U.S. 63 at Turkey Creek Bridge, just outside the Jefferson City limits, during the icy morning rush hour.

The victim was identified as John Drew, 55.

Drew was struck head-on by Sharon Keeran, 57, California, who lost control on the ice covered bridge, went off the left side of the road, through median cables and into Drew's path.