Highway Patrol Helps Drivers, Broncos Mascot During Storm

It was a busy few days for the Wyoming Highway Patrol as its members worked to assist people during the storm.

The Patrol says in a press release that from noon Sunday through 4 p.m. Wednesday, troopers investigated 146 crashes across the state. Of those crashes, 121 resulted in property damage only while 24 involved injury. A fatal crash southwest of Laramie Sunday on WY 230 was not weather-related and is still being actively investigated.

WHP dispatchers and employees answered 4,891 calls and dispatched troopers to 1,408 events in that same period of time. Troopers fielded 225 calls for stranded or broken-down drivers.

One of those calls on Feb. 1 was from the trainers of Thunder, the mascot of the Denver Broncos. A closure of Interstate 80 forced them to stop near Rock Springs, and the Highway Patrol helped Thunder and the crew locate the conditions and closure information they needed to get down the road to Super Bowl 50.

The snowfall has stopped, but winds have picked up. The Highway Patrol says drivers should anticipate slick roads, strong winds, and reduced visibility.

Travelers can access the latest road closures and conditions before heading out by visiting wyoroad.info and calling 511 or 1-888-WYO-ROAD.