South Dakota trooper’s cruiser hit by sliding semi during winter storm

A brutal winter storm caused a large semi-truck to slide directly into the path of a South Dakota Highway Patrol cruiser on a slippery Interstate.

According to the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 12:08 p.m on Thursday, law enforcement officers were dispatched to Interstate 90 near MP 395 for an injury crash involving a South Dakota Highway Patrol vehicle and a semi-tractor/trailer.

The trooper was providing traffic control for another crash when a semi lost control and slammed into the trooper’s car. Police said that the driver of the semi-truck was driving quickly on the snowy roads while visibility was low.

“Slow down! You have somewhere to be,” South Dakota Highway Patrol wrote in a Facebook post following the collision. “Ice and snow, go slow.”

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The trooper was in the vehicle at the time of the crash and sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported by ambulance to a Sioux Falls, South Dakota hospital for treatment. 

The driver of the semi was issued a citation for overdriving the road conditions.

A late-winter blizzard settled over the upper Midwest on Saturday, shutting down roads and adding to one of the snowiest seasons in recent decades.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the majority of southeastern South Dakota was expected to be under a winter weather advisory until 7 a.m. Friday. 

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“Plan on slippery road conditions. Blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility, with near blizzard conditions possible at times, especially during falling snow and in rural areas,” the advisory from NWS states. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.”

The Highway Patrol responded to a number of crashes in South Dakota on Thursday during severe winter conditions, and high winds.

The National Weather Service said some areas of the Upper Midwest could see more than 12 inches of snow through Sunday, while other areas could see rain and freezing rain.

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The storm is expected to move into the Upper Great Lakes region on Sunday.