Snow, sleet send cars off roadways

Showers of snow, sleet and rain Wednesday night sent dozens of cars sliding off roads throughout the region, including one that tested the service of a Spokane fast-food restaurant.

The Washington State Patrol reported about 90 slideoffs and other weather-related accidents in the Spokane area, but none was serious.

In North Idaho, the Idaho State Police had only five minor crashes, but slick roads were causing tie-ups on U.S. Highway 95 at Granite Hill, just north of the Kootenai-Bonner county line as unchained semitrucks slid across the roadway

North Idaho road conditions varied widely, with wet or clear roads in the St. Maries area but sleet and snow on most roads north of Plummer.

Terra Tracy had just finished delivering an order to a customer at the second drive-up window of the McDonald’s restaurant at Monroe and Indiana in Spokane about 6:20 p.m. when she looked up and saw a sport utility vehicle flying toward her.

“I just kind of gasped and jumped back,” Tracy said. “I didn’t know how strong the wall would be.”

Strong enough, it turned out.

Restaurant employee H. Gunning — who uses only the first letter of his first name — said he thinks the vehicle would have crashed through the wall except that it came down at a steep angle, which caused the drive-through pavement to absorb most of the force before the SUV bounced against restaurant, with its nose facing the Tracy’s window.

Spokane Police Officer Zack Storment said the vehicle was driven by a 16-year-old girl who had recently gotten her driver’s license. She was taken to a hospital for observation, but apparently was not seriously injured.

“She was lucky,” Gunning said.

He said the girl was westbound on Indiana when she lost control of her vehicle, and it veered across the two eastbound lanes, jumping a traffic island and then passing between two eastbound cars. The SUV “caught air” when it hit the south curb of Indiana and flew up an embankment, he said.

While still airborne, the vehicle clipped off the restaurant’s aluminum flagpole. Gunning estimated the truck was still going at least 30 mph when it plunged to the ground at a 70-degree angle and bounced up to Tracy’s window.

“It shook the entire building,” Gunning said.

He was giving change to a customer who was almost ready to pull forward to Tracy’s window when the crash occurred. Her customer had just pulled away.

“It’s a good thing we have quick service,” Tracy said.