State Patrol warns drivers to slow down, move over after 10 squads hit

(FOX 9) - The Minnesota State Patrol is warning drivers to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles on snowy and icy roads after 10 squad cars have now been hit since the beginning of February.

The state troopers are getting emails from supervisors telling them to be very careful out there.

Earlier this month, Trooper Jason Nelson had stopped to investigate a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 35E and he called in to say he needed help to slow down traffic. Shortly after, his squad was hit. 

“Luckily for me, I was in the center median, so I was away from it,” Nelson said. “I did go back to look at the damage to my squad. When I went back, there was an SUV coming sideways at my squad and it entered the ditch before it made contact with my squad or me. So it’s extremely nerve-racking, something that we as troopers are always thinking about.”

Some of the troopers have been injured. Bottom line--Nelson says drivers are going too fast for the conditions. Sometimes it is snow, sometimes it is ice and this winter you never know for sure what it is.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation said the same thing—that the roads are better than Monday, but there are always going to be slick spots.