Cops: 'Blowing Snow,' 'Slippery Road Surface' Cause Police-Involved Crash Sunday

Berdan Avenue was closed Sunday after poor visibility and road conditions caused four car accidents - including a police vehicle getting rear-ended, authorities said.

The accidents came as a result of Sunday’s windy conditions.

“The extreme winds coming off the reservoir blew snow on the road, making the conditions very bad and visibility was horrible,” said a source who witnessed the accidents.

Wayne Police Officer David Fox was also involved in a motor vehicle crash at 1:30 p.m. while sitting in his marked police car after responding to another accident, Captain Laurence Martin said. Officer Fox was on Berdan Ave, close to the intersection of Pancake Hollow Drive, when he was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by Laticia Martin, 26, of Wayne.

Martin “initially did not see [Officer Fox] due to the blowing snow and then was unable to stop on the slippery road surface,” Captain Martin said.

Officer Fox complained of pain in his neck and back and was transported to Chilton Hospital. No charges have been filed but the accident is under investigation by the Wayne Traffic Bureau, Captain Martin said.

After Officer Fox’s car was rear-ended, it was decided to close the road down and bring in a county plow to plow the road and salt it, authorities said.

Captain Martin said since Berdan Ave is a county road, the police department had requested for the “county to get up there for a while,” prior to Officer Fox’s accident. He also could not confirm, nor deny that there had been exactly four accidents.

Photos courtesy of Christian Rowe.

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