Old Man Winter ravaged Minnesota with close to 300 vehicles running off of the road and a number of accidents occurring. Many in Southern Minnesota and beyond had to double and triple their commute times.
It all started on April 18 and into April 19 when an unexpected heavy mixture of sleet, snow, and rain fell. The snowfall totals were up to eight inches with it exceeding 10 inches in other areas.
Among the mess was 16-year-old Jonathon Pohlen who was killed while driving his Chevrolet Cobalt. He lost control of the car while traveling westbound on I-94 when he slid, crossed the median, and ran up under the trailer of an oncoming semi truck, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
The crashed had happened just after 3 p.m. that day. The truck driver in the car/semi truck accident sustained minor injuries.
On Friday, most motorists stayed off of the roads, which meant traffic levels made for a morning commute that was relatively painless for most.
The weather was so severe, in fact, that arrivals and departures at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport were delayed. Flyers had to check with the airlines regarding the status of their flights.
Furthermore, around 75 percent of Metro Transit busses were on schedule on Thursday and around 80 percent of the busses were able to run on time Friday morning. This resulted in some individuals relying on public transportation rather than driving themselves in the hazardous road conditions.