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• Ice forces closure of Interstate 94
• ADVISORY: Sleet, freezing rain could be on the way

A band of freezing rain turned a portion of I-94 into a skating rink Thursday night, resulting in five jack-knifed or tangled up semis that requiring tows and closure of a four-mile eastbound section for nearly three hours.

"It was amazing. I hit the 24 (mile mark) and it was like I hit a wall," said Ben Richert, lead heavy-wrecker driver for Jerry's Towing. "I could hear the water under my tires and then it was quiet; it had all turned to ice."

Richert said the roadway was so slick, vehicles were literally sliding off the crown of the road into ditches.

"I've never seen anything like it in 17 years," he said. He and a trooper had to don ice cleats in order to maintain footing on the ice.

Accident reports are still being compiled as officers have three days to complete their paperwork, State Patrol Sgt. Jerry Voight said Friday morning, but involvement by at least five semis and several ditched cars prompted the closure at 8:48 p.m.

Eastbound traffic was rerouted via county roads from Exit 28 to Exit 32, Voight said. The interstate reopened at 11:27 p.m.

Richert said five heavy wreckers from Jerry's were involved in the mop-up.

Day and Nite Towing, Baldwin, was also involved in clearing up many of the rollovers and slide-ins Thursday. Owner Glenn Meyer said his trucks pulled seven cars or light trucks after 6 p.m. -- actually less than he'd expect to see under conditions like that. Motorists appear to be heeding the warnings and have slowed down.

The real trouble started about 8:30 p.m. when an eastbound semi lost control about the 32 mile mark, jack-knifed, spun around and came to rest facing westbound, partially in south ditch. Two other semis approaching the scene collided at a slow speed and locked together as they attempted to avoid the crash.

Richert said he was responding ahead of an ambulance and a St. Croix County salt truck when their caravan hit "grid-lock" where they sat for 90 minutes, waiting for another wrecker to start untangling the mess from the east end.

Richert said he thought one motorist required medical attention for a facial laceration but there appeared to be no other injuries as a result of Thursday night's crashes.

One of the semi-rigs disabled was a livestock hauler -- his fifth-wheel loaded with cattle. The animals were moved to a Baldwin area farm for the night, said Meyer.

Once the vehicles were cleared, highway department trucks laid down an enormous amount of chemical to thaw the ice, he said.

Voight said motorists need to realize that road conditions can change rapidly when rain combines with freezing temperatures.

Richert said Jerry's also responded to a number of slow-speed vehicle rollovers throughout the day Thursday. Where soft snow will mire a ditched car, the hard-crusted snow can cause them to roll, he said.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for St. Croix County and the surrounding region. The advisory will run from 6 p.m. today (Friday) to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Freezing rain, sleet, and rain will be part of a system that is streaming this way from the West Coast.

According to the NWS, freezing rain and some sleet will move into the area tonight, becoming more widespread after midnight. The mixed precipitation will transition to rain and freezing rain Saturday morning before changing to all rain by Saturday afternoon.

Officials warn that ice accumulations between a one and two tenths of an inch inch are possible. This could lead to slippery conditions on untreated roads and bridges.

According to the advisory, the weight of accumulated ice could lead to power outages due to downed tree limbs and power lines.

A winter weather advisory means travel difficulties could results from the approaching weather system. Motorists should be prepared for slippery roads and poor visibilities.