Melting ice and snow on the road caused the incident, with the driver sustaining only minor injuries after the harrowing experience.
At 10 a.m. Monday morning, a 74-year-old man was driving on Yellowstone Avenue. When the driver reached the section of the road passing over Sulphur Creek, he lost control of the vehicle and it crashed into a nearby light pole.
The force of the impact with the light pole sent the vehicle and the driver off the road and down the hill towards Sulphur Creek. Thankfully, the vehicle didn’t go all the way into the creek, stopping about halfway down the slope.
The driver sustained minor injuries to his head. An ambulance transported him to Cody Regional Health for treatment.
Officer John Harris with the Cody Police Department cites Monday’s weather as the primary cause of the incident. The combination of warm temperatures and melting snow on Yellowstone Avenue made it extremely wet and slippery.
Extra sand trucks and plows were sent to that section of the roadway after the incident to clear the road of further hazards. According to the City of Cody’s Snow and Ice Control Map, Yellowstone Avenue is a Priority 1 road when it comes to snow removal.
Last week’s extreme cold snap is being followed by sunnier skies and temperatures in the high 20s to mid-30s during the day. These conditions will cause slicker roads in Cody and the roads and highways outside city limits.
Officier Harris says incidents of vehicles leaving the road and sliding into Sulphur Creek are relatively rare – once a year at most. But winter road conditions are always dangerous, so extra caution is needed from Cody drivers.
“With all the snow we’ve received lately, the warming weather, and temperatures fluctuating, it definitely makes for icy road conditions. We ask that everyone take caution, slow down, be careful and patient,” Officer Harris says.
The damaged light pole was removed by the City of Cody Electric Division. A replacement will be installed soon.
