By Tom Gilchrist
For The Advertiser
VASSAR — Authorities closed down multiple stretches of state highways in Tuscola County on Wednesday afternoon when strong winds and blowing snow created “whiteout” conditions for drivers.
Along M-15 west of Cottrell Road in Tuscola Township, firefighters said nine different vehicles were involved in crashes within minutes of each other, and about six more vehicles were stopped due to lack of visibility in that area.
“At one point we had five different pieces of state highway closed at the same time,” said Tuscola County Road Commission Superintendent/Manager Jay Tuckey.
A Vassar Police Department patrol car was struck from behind along M-15 west of Cottrell, according to witnesses. Firefighters said Vassar police officer Myra Piazza was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
David Sohn, 49, of Millington, said he and his son and ex-wife were in a Chevrolet Blazer at the scene and speaking with Piazza — who was outside her car — when another vehicle struck the patrol car from the rear, with the patrol car striking Piazza and knocking her on the ground. Then a pickup truck hauling a trailer carrying a snowmobile struck the police cruiser from the rear “even harder,” David Sohn said.
The Advertiser could not reach Piazza for comment.
Austin Sohn, 19, of Vassar Township said he was driving his Blazer west on M-15, west of Cottrell, when the rear of the vehicle in front of him began slide sideways. Sohn said he could see only about 15 feet in front of his Blazer due to the blowing snow. The vehicle in front of Sohn “disappeared and then all of a sudden he was there — he struck something in front of him,” Austin Sohn said.
Then Austin Sohn’s Blazer struck the rear of the vehicle about 1:15 p.m., he said. Austin’s mother, Jill Chapelo, 45, of Vassar Township, was riding in the Blazer along with her son and her ex-husband. At the time of the crash, the family was on the way to the Saginaw area to see a doctor to examine Austin’s knee — injured when he was younger.
David Sohn said that after several crashes took place within minutes, he and his son and ex-wife exited their damaged vehicle and climbed atop an 8-foot-high snowdrift along the north side of M-15.
“After we realized nobody could stop and nobody could see what was going on, we had to get up the hill,” David Sohn said.
David Sohn said a good Samaritan in a red pickup truck gave Jill Chapelo and Austin Sohn a ride to Karr’s Kafe on M-15 near Vassar. There, rescue personnel spoke with Chapelo, who said her neck felt sore following the crash.
The volunteer in the red truck then drove Austin Sohn back to the scene and picked up David Sohn, bringing the men back to Karr’s Kafe where employees provided hot coffee and towels soaked in hot water to help warm up the family.
Firefighters said the Vassar patrol car was “totalled” due to the impact from the crashes. Firefighters said three people — including the police officer — were sent to the hospital by ambulance from the scene along M-15.
Tuckey said authorities also closed M-81 at Bradleyville Road, M-81 at Crane Road, M-25 at Ringle Road and M-138 west of Fairgrove due to poor visibility.