Heavy snow wreaks havoc on West Tennessee roads

HENRY COUNTY, Tenn. — One of the area’s with the most snow-fall in West Tennessee Friday, the Tennessee River Valley. Residents reported upwards of seven inches fell in some areas and law enforcement said that resulted in a lot of problems for drivers.

Henry and Benton Counties saw some of the most snowfall but along with it came a horrible commute. Leaving some motorists stranded and others upside down in a ditch.

“I got here at about 5 a.m. this morning,” Johnny Plunk said. “I put down some salt and have been scraping on the ice all day long.”

Plunk clears parking lots across Henry County during winter weather, Friday’s challenge was Walmart’s.

“I’m putting a little salt on it now to try and keep it from freezing up,” Plunk said. “So hopefully it will hold them over til tomorrow.”

Henry County saw almost a half-foot of snow and the wind kept it moving all day.

“The wind was blowing the snow sideways,” Plunk said. “I couldn’t hardly see driving the backhoe to clear the parking lot.”

The sloppy and wet snow that had been falling all over West Tennessee, it’s great to make snowballs and snowmen, but it is now a concern for drivers as the temperatures drop. Officials said it is turning to ice making for a bad commute on the roads.

“I just urge everyone if you don’t have to be don’t be out,” Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher said. “I think Saturday is going to be pretty rough too.”

Friday, dozens of accidents like a roll over along Highway 641 in Benton County wreaked havoc on those who decided to venture out.

“From that it started a chain reaction,” Sheriff Christopher said. “We had another semi that was trying to stop and was hauling lumber and it flipped in the middle of the highway.”

But this winter weather has its good side, putting a smile on some people’s faces.

“Yeah, we love seeing the snow, we love it,” Les Crichton said. “We’re from Canada so we love the snow.”

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office said there were only minor injures in many of the wrecks they worked Friday.