Snow covered roadways increase accidents in Boundary County

By KATHY NUSSBERGER

Managing editor

For the past two weeks snowstorms have wreaked havoc and caused several car crashes within Boundary County, most of them were either non-injury or minor injury in nature.

At approximately 10 a.m. on Dec. 21, Idaho State Police, Boundary County Sheriff and Boundary Ambulance responded to a report of a single car injury rollover on US 2 just west of the Moyie Springs Store.

Gary Allen Aitken, 48, Bonners Ferry, suffered some head trauma and facial lacerations in the crash, but was standing and talking to emergency personnel before ambulance crews arrived on scene.

Ambulance personnel took Aitken to Boundary Community Hospital where he was treated and placed under observation in the hospital emergency department.

Aitken was driving a 2003 Pontiac Vibe and according to the Idaho State Police report, Aitken was eastbound on US 2 near Moyie Springs when he lost control around a curve and hit an embankment.

On Thursday night, Dec. 14, the snowstorm that hit the area created other problems, and slick roads sent several cars careening off both main highways and backroads.

The severe conditions caused the Idaho State Police to issue a warning of multiple crashes in Bonner and Boundary counties due to white-out conditions and slush covered roads.

At least one crash involving four vehicles on Peterson Hill south of Bonners Ferry on Highway 95, backed traffic up in both the north and southbound lanes for nearly three hours as crews worked to clear the wreckage.

Just as southbound traffic began moving, another accident was reported on old County Road 2 (Deep Creek Loop) near the Mirror Lake Golf Course.