Lots of accidents, but no major injuries

Area police and fire department officials said there were no fatalities or major injuries despite numerous accidents on slick roads Friday afternoon as snow and sleet fell until about 3 p.m.

Motorists heading home from work early on Good Friday, or families shopping or visiting, had to contend with a storm that slowed traffic and sent cars skidding off the roads in many communities.

Itasca Fire Department officials reported responding to a call about 2:15 p.m. regarding a three-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-355 just north of Lake Street.

The accident involved a semitrailer truck, a Jeep and a minivan.

Officials said the sole occupant of the minivan had to be cut from the vehicle but sustained only minor injuries. That driver was taken to Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village as were two occupants of the Jeep. The injuries were not life-threatening, officials said. The driver of the truck refused medical treatment. No other details are known.

Fire department officials in Lake County reported responding to calls regarding minor accidents and cars going off the road and into ditches because of slick roads.

"We had a bunch of accidents but nothing serious," said Battalion Chief Barry Henby of the Gurnee Fire Department.

Henby said there were two accidents when vehicles rolled over, one on Route 41 and Sterns School Road and another on Route 21 and I-94.

"No one involved wanted to be taken to the hospital," he said. "The snow turned into sleet about 4 p.m. At one point we had all four of our ambulances out at one time, but there were no serious injuries."

Snowfall varied among municipalities. Fire department officials in the Tri-Cities said there were no accidents reported and that roads were in fairly good condition. A fire department official in Elburn said that community got only one inch of snow.