Slick roads trip up drivers

One passenger on a school bus suffered a cut in an accident this morning in the Newman Lake area, fire officials said. The accident about 7:30 a.m. occurred at Harvard Road north of state Highway 290 and was one of at least 15 accidents during the morning commute in Spokane County. “It’s much worse this morning,” said Spokane police Officer Teresa Fuller. A dispatcher said the bus accident was not serious, and that crews from Fire District 13 were handling the incident. Traffic on westbound Interstate 90 was slowed prior to 8 a.m. after and oversized vehicle struck an overpass east of Hamilton Street and then was stopped along the shoulder near the curves at Perry and Hamilton streets. The traffic scene was cleared shortly after 8 a.m. and traffic returned to normal. A one-vehicle rollover accident occurred about 8:30 a.m. on I-90 in the vicinity of Fourth of July Summit. Hauser Lake Road was reportedly icy with several vehicles off the roadway. Accidents were reported this morning at state Highway 27th and 16th Avenue in Spokane Valley and at U.S. Highway 2 and state Highway 211 southwest of Newport. Standing water was creating traffic hazards, Fuller said. The National Weather Service has issued an urban and small stream flood advisory for Spokane and Kootenai counties. A vehicle was reported off the road on Fernan Lake Road near Coeur d’Alene. Spokane County Sheriff’s Sgt. Dave Reagan sent the following report by e-mail this morning: “Twenty crashes have been reported in sheriff’s office jurisdiction since midnight, four of which were injury accidents. “A car-tree collision at West Gail Jean Lane and North Five Mile Road; a two-vehicle crash at Deer Park-Milan Road and North Perry Road; an appliance truck versus pickup at Lakeview Lane and East Wandemere Estates Lane; and a Jeep rollover at Thirty-Second and Conklin. “Two accidents involved school buses. “Deputies have been hampered getting to the scenes of multiple slide-offs, even those driving 4x4’s. “Motorists should expect continued hazardous roads as rail falls on compact snow and ice throughout Spokane County.” Two falls involving injuries were also reported.