So Many Accidents On Snowy Spokane Roads, Tow Trucks Could Not Keep Up

Dozens of vehicles were involved in multiple crashes on Interstate 90 just west of Spokane on Tuesday, shortly after a squall dumped heavy snow near Geiger Boulevard.

Washington State Patrol troopers estimated 50 to 100 vehicles were involved in the collisions, though no life-threatening injuries were reported, according to Trooper Jeff Sevigney.

“Mainly just fender benders and bent sheet metal,” Sevigney said. “Conditions changed rapidly. Unfortunately, folks didn’t adjust their speed in time, and once you have one crash it kind of starts a chain reaction.”

The freeway was reduced to one lane in each direction, but all lanes reopened at about 5:30 p.m. The squall hit the West Plains after 1 p.m. and initially caused the full closure of the westbound lanes and a partial closure of eastbound lanes.

There were “multiple spinouts in both directions,” the state Department of Transportation reported on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon. “Slick conditions throughout the West Plains.”