Snow, icy roads, stuck cars & big-rigs, causing 299E delays
HATCHET MOUNTAIN — Heavy snow, icy roadway conditions, and inclement weather, are causing significant backups and delays on SR-299E, just east of Hatchet Mountain this afternoon. By 3:30 p.m., numerous accidents, spin outs, and stuck vehicles, have been reported throughout the area along Highways 299 and 44.
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California Highway Patrol responded to multiple reports of big-rigs and passenger vehicles stuck in the lanes of traffic just after 2:30 p.m. 911 callers reported at least two big-rigs and a passenger vehicle that had become stuck due to the icy roadway conditions.
According to a CHP incident log, one of the tractor-trailers was blocking the westbound lanes of traffic, while a second rig was reported stuck in snow closer to Vista Point. Both big-rigs are reportedly stuck within the lanes of traffic and their drivers were attempting to put snow chains on, even as other motorists and commuters slowly worked their way past the two locations.
Shortly before 3 p.m., CHP’s incident log updated that a vehicle described as a black Infiniti had also become stuck in heavy snow, within the lanes of traffic.
SEE RELATED:
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Snow, icy roads, continue to wreak havoc along mountain highways
Witnesses reported that other motorists and good Samaritans were attempting to help all three disabled and stuck vehicles, and that CHP was requiring all travelers to have chains or appropriate tires for the weather and roadway conditions.
As of this report at 3:30 p.m., CHP was reporting 4 to 5 inches of snow in the Hatchet Mountain area and requested snow plows expedite their response to the area.
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Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.