Ohio crash: 46-vehicle pileup leaves at least four dead in winter storm

The deadly crash happened in whiteout conditions on Friday

Four people are confirmed dead and a number of others have been injured in a 46-vehicle pile-up during Winter Storm Elliott.

The deadly crash happened in whiteout conditions on Friday afternoon in the eastbound lane of Ohio Turnpike I-75 in Erie County, according to highway patrol.

Pictures of the massive crash showed semi-trucks with crumpled front ends and trucks stacked up on the roofs of mangled cars.

Follow the latest updates on Winter Storm Elliott on The Independent’s live blog.

None of the victims have been identified. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a statement on Friday offering his condolences to the victims’ families. Governor DeWine and other public officials are pleading with the public to rethink travel plans.

“The road conditions continue to be very dangerous across the state, with white outs and extremely cold temperatures continuing. Please continue to remain home if at all possible and be vigilant with these extremely dangerous road conditions,” he wrote.

The death toll from Winter Storm Elliott rose to 12 people on Saturday. Some 200 million Americans are under weather warnings and advisories as brutal cold - as low as -40F in places - strong winds and heavy snow swept the country.

Temperatures in Erie County hit four degrees below zero (-20 C) all of Friday afternoon, adding biting cold to the obstacles faced by rescuers working to help drivers caught in the pile-up. Windspeeds that afternoon averaged around 27mph (43kph) and topped out around 41mph (66kph), according to National Weather Service data.

The NWS out of Cleveland also reports that the region also saw 3.6 inches (9cm) of snowfall, a huge deviation from the “normal” 0.4 inches (1cm) the area generally sees this time of year. The high winds mixed with heavy snowfall likely contributed to the white out conditions that preceded the pileup.

Law enforcement cleared fifteen commercial vehicles from the turnpike, Ohio State Highway Patrol said, and the cause of the crash would be investigated.