By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post
Multiple inches of snow turned roads to slush this weekend, transforming the wide interstates into dangerous slip-and-slides for motor vehicles.
The Saline County Sheriff's Office reported three slide-offs on Saturday, with only minor injuries at each.
The first occurred at mile marker 79 on Interstate 135 when 46-year-old Veronica Cavazos from Hallettsville, TX, slid off the roadway and struck an interstate sign.
According to Saline County Sheriff Rodger Soldan, Cavazos lost control of her brown 2013 Chevrolet Suburban, sliding into the ditch and striking the road sign with her rear passenger door.
"She did have a passenger that was complaining of his hand hurting from the airbag, but he refused treatment," Soldan said. "There were five of them in the vehicle total... it was a minor injury, and nobody was transported."
Another slide-off occurred later in the day at 12:47 p.m. at mile marker 260 on Interstate 70 — a white 2019 BMW SUV operated by 50-year-old Salina resident Jeanie Blake lost control while traveling east and hit a guard rail on the highway.
Once deputies arrived on the scene, they discovered Blake had minor injuries, but she refused treatment.
As the Sheriff's Office responded to this incident, at 1:08 p.m., 37-year-old David Boucher from Hoyt changed lanes to avoid the crash at mile marker 260 and lost control a short distance after the first slide-off.
"He changed lanes to avoid the vehicles stopped for the crash," Soldan said. "He lost control and struck a bridge pillar on the south side of the road."
Boucher had a 36-year-old passenger, Rachel Boucher, who had a laceration on her head from the crash. EMS transported her to Salina Regional Health Center for her injuries.
According to Soldan, the crash victims reported no other serious injuries.