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SALLISAW, Okla.  — The Oklahoma State Patrol said Saturday, March 30, that it closed a highway south of Sallisaw after a barge struck a bridge over the Arkansas River. Troopers closed South U.S. Highway 59 about 1:25 p.m. after receiving word of the incident and diverted traffic from the area, state patrol spokesperson Sarah Stewart said. The bridge, which crosses the Arkansas River where it enters the Robert S. Kerr Reservoir, will remain closed until it can be inspected, she said. There were no reports of injuries on the highway or the barge, Stewart said. It was not immediately known what caused the barge to hit the bridge. The news came as engineers worked Saturday to lift a section of twisted steel from the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland after it crumpled into the Patapsco River as a massive cargo ship crashed into one of its main supports.

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday set strict emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, buses and other large vehicles, an action that officials said will help clean up some of the nation’s largest sources of planet-warming greenhouse gases. The new rules, which take effect for model years 2027 through 2032, will avoid up to 1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the next three decades and provide $13 billion in net benefits in the form of fewer hospital visits, lost work days and deaths, the EPA said. The new standards will especially benefit an estimated 72 million people in the United States who live near freight routes used by trucks and other heavy vehicles and bear a disproportionate burden of dangerous air pollution, the agency said. “Heavy-duty vehicles are essential for moving goods and services throughout our country, keeping our economy moving. They’re also significant contributors to pollution from the transportation sector — emissions that are fueling climate change and creating poor air quality in too many American communities,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said. “Reducing emissions from our heavy-duty vehicles means cleaner air and less pollution. It means safer and more vibrant communities. It means lower fuel and maintenance costs for truck owners and operators. And it means healthier Americans,” Regan said. The new rules for heavy trucks and buses come a week after the EPA announced new automobile emissions standards for passenger vehicles. Those rules relax initial tailpipe limits proposed last year but get close to the same strict standards set out by the EPA for model year 2032. The auto industry could meet the limits if 56% of new passenger vehicle sales are electric by 2032, along with at least 13% plug-in hybrids or other partially electric cars, the EPA said. The rule for trucks is more complex, with a range of electric-vehicle or other non-traditional sales projected, depending on the type of vehicle and use, the agency said. For instance, 30% of “heavy-heavy-duty vocational” trucks would need to be zero-emission by 2032, the EPA said, while 40% of short-haul “day cabs” would need be zero emission vehicles. The new rules for cars and trucks come as sales of EVs, which are needed to meet both standards, have begun to slow. The auto industry cited lower sales growth in objecting to the EPA’s preferred standards unveiled last April for passenger vehicles, a key part of President Joe Biden’s ambitious plan to cut planet-warming emissions. “Our Clean Trucks plan works in tandem with President Biden’s unprecedented investments in America and delivers on this administration’s commitment to tackling climate change while advancing environmental justice,” Regan said. The new rule will provide greater certainty for the industry, while supporting U.S. manufacturing jobs in advanced vehicle technologies, Regan said. Over the next decade, the standards “will set the U.S. heavy-duty sector on a trajectory for sustained growth,” he said. Industry groups strongly disagreed. They lambasted the new standards as unreachable with current electric-vehicle technology and complained about a lack of EV charging stations and power grid capacity limits. The American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which represent large swaths of the industry, predicted supply chain failures and said that smaller independent firms would likely hang onto older diesel trucks that spew more pollution, running counter to the EPA’s goals. The new limits lower zero-emission sales rates proposed for the 2027 through 2029 model years but require higher sales later, resulting in a practical mandate for electric and hydrogen-powered trucks, the trucking associations said in a statement. The EPA rule limits choices for trucks and buses to unproven technology, the group said. “The post-2030 targets remain entirely unachievable,” said Chris Spear, APA’s CEO. “Any regulation that fails to account for the operational realities of trucking will set the industry and America’s supply chain up for failure.” Todd Spencer, president of the independent drivers association, which represents small trucking companies, said the Democratic administration “seems dead-set on regulating every local mom-and-pop business out of existence with its flurry of unworkable environmental mandates.” Regan said the EPA crafted the limits to give truck owners a choice of powertrains including advanced combustion vehicles, hybrids and electric and hydrogen fuel cells. “There’s a list of options that truck drivers, owners and operators can choose from … while we (do) not sacrifice the very stringent environmental goals that we have set,” he told reporters Thursday. The EPA calculated that new trucks would save operators a total of $3.5 billion in fuel and other costs from 2027 to 2032, paying for themselves in two to four years. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act also provides tax credits that subsidize the purchase price of new electric vehicles, Regan said. The new emissions limits will bring immediate health benefits, especially in communities burdened by heavy truck traffic, said Harold Wimmer, CEO of the American Lung Association. “Transportation is the largest source of pollution driving climate change,” he said in a statement. “These strong standards that will help drive toward a zero-emission future for trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles are a critical part of the solution.”

NEW YORK — New York is on track to become the first U.S. city with congestion tolls on drivers entering its central business district after transit officials approved a $15 fee for most motorists headed to the busiest part of Manhattan. Members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board on Wednesday voted to greenlight the congestion pricing plan, expected to go into effect in June. The board approved only minor changes to a plan presented to the public months ago, and brushed off requests for exceptions by dozens of groups of commuters. The vote authorizes a $15 toll on most commuter passenger vehicles that drive into Manhattan south of 60th Street, a zone that’s south of Central Park, during daytime hours. Tolls are higher for larger vehicles, and lower for late-night entries into the city, as well as for motorcycles. Supporters of the new tolls say it will push more people to use public transport, reduce congestion to speed up public buses and emergency vehicles, reduce pollution, and raise money needed to improve the subway system. Opponents say the fees are a burden on workers and will increase the prices of staple goods that are driven to the city by truck. To enter Manhattan, commuters from other states and boroughs already pay around $15 in bridge and tunnel tolls — and the congestion fee will come on top of that. Daily parking costs already run $25 to $50 in the congestion zone, which includes a dozen neighborhoods in Manhattan that are south of 60th street. New York’s plan has drawn lawsuits from small business owners and the state of New Jersey which demand more thorough environmental assessments before the plan moves forward. In court documents, state officials argue the plan will cost its commuters millions but won’t fund improvements in New Jersey transit agencies, even as it funds public transit in New York and Connecticut. The state Legislature approved the tolls in 2019, mandating that the program should raise $1 billion per year to fund public subway and bus systems for the city’s 4 million daily riders. It also established the boundaries of the zone, which covers the busiest part of the city, and scaled back early proposals to include the area up to 86th Street. The pandemic and lack of federal regulation stalled the project. Tolls will vary based on the time of day and the size of the vehicle, ranging from $1.75 for motorcycles crossing overnight to $36 for sightseeing buses and trucks with trailers during the day. The overnight period runs from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays, and from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends. Visitors without E-ZPasses — a device that collects toll information remotely — will pay more. And as on bridges, license plate readers are expected to identify other drivers, so that they can be billed by mail. Taxis will charge passengers $1.25 per trip that touches the zone, while app-based rides will charge $2.50. The vote Wednesday followed two months of public comment in which over 100 categories of drivers asked to be exempted from the tolls. They ranged from small groups like holders of diplomatic license plates to large groups like residents of the neighboring states of New Jersey and Connecticut. But the $1 billion in toll revenue mandated by the state law meant that eliminating charges for one group would increase the price for everyone else, so most requests for exceptions weren’t granted. Some exceptions survived, including a free pass for emergency vehicles, specialized city vehicles, and buses with regular public routes or city school contracts. Vehicles carrying disabled people and certain low-income commuters also get a pass. Low-income drivers are eligible for discounts and tax credits. If the plan survives those legal challenges, New York will become the first U.S. city to implement a congestion pricing scheme. Such schemes have been implemented in London, Stockholm, Milan and Singapore. In 2017, Virginia officials implemented a toll system to reduce congestion during rush hour on Interstate 66 near Washington, D.C.

BALTIMORE — After the collapse of the Francis Scott Key (Interstate 695) bridge Tuesday morning, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation has been working to modify the official truck map, which details how truck drivers may use Baltimore City roads and highways. “In order to minimize impacts, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (is asking motorists and truck drivers to) please refer to the GIS map for the most up-to-date route information: Baltimore City Official Truck Routes at arcgis.com,” a news release states. Truckers are encouraged to continue checking this official map in the coming days as additional modifications may be made. Motorists should also be aware that portions of Fort Armistead Road and Hawkins Point Road are closed at this time. Drivers are encouraged to download the Waze.com app for live detour navigation. Key points Motorists must avoid this southeast corridor of I-695. I-695 Outer Loop is closed at MD 10 (exit 2) and Inner Loop is closed at MD 157/Peninsula Expressway (exit 43). Harbor Crossings alternate routes will be Interstate 95 or Interstate 895 tunnels. Harbor Crossings alternate routes will be I-95 or I-895 tunnels. Vehicles transporting hazardous materials prohibited in tunnels should use the western section of I-695 around tunnels. This includes vehicles carrying bottled propane gas in excess of 10 pounds per container (maximum of 10 containers), bulk gasoline, explosives, significant amounts of radioactive materials. Vehicles in excess of 13 feet, 6 inches in height, or 96 inches (8 feet) in width are prohibited from using the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel. I-95 Ft. McHenry Tunnel restrictions are 14 feet, 6 inches (height) and 11 feet (width).

BALTIMORE — A container ship lost power and rammed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing it to snap and plunge into the river below. Several vehicles fell into the chilly waters, and rescuers searched for survivors. The operators of the ship issued a mayday call moments before the crash that took down the Francis Scott Key Bridge, enabling authorities to limit vehicle traffic on the span, Maryland’s governor said. Six people remain unaccounted for after the bridge collapse, and all are believed to have been working on it at the time, officials said. The construction workers were repairing potholes, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said at a news conference Tuesday. Gov. Wes Moore said he was thankful that after the cargo ship’s distress call, authorities were able to stop cars from going over the bridge. “These people are heroes,” Moore said. “They saved lives last night.” The ship crashed into one of the bridge’s supports, causing the structure to break apart like a toy. It tumbled into the water in a matter of seconds — a shocking spectacle that was captured on video and posted on social media. The vessel caught fire, and thick, black smoke billowed out of it. The crash happened long before the busy morning commute in what one official called a “developing mass casualty event.” Two people were rescued, and officials said six people were still unaccounted for. All were believed to be those working on the bridge when it collapsed. “Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy.” Earlier, Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press that several vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the collapse, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck. The bridge came down in the middle of night when traffic would be lighter than during the day when thousands of cars traverse the span. Bridge played a vital role in transportation and commerce Maryland state Sen. Johnny Ray Salling, who is from the area, says the bridge plays a vital role in not only transportation, but also commerce. “Losing this bridge will devastate the entire area, as well as the entire East Coast,” said Salling. Highway signs as far south as Virginia are warning drivers of delays associated with the closure of the bridge. “Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy.” The collapse is sure to create a logistical nightmare for months, if not years, for the East Coast, shutting down ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore and snarling cargo and commuter traffic. Fire Chief James Wallace said authorities “may be looking for upwards of seven people” but said that number could change. Other officials declined to give figures. It was not clear if the two rescued were included in the seven cited by the fire chief.   The bridge came down in the middle of night when traffic would be lighter than during the day when thousands of cars traverse the span. Synergy Marine Group — which owns and manages the ship, called the Dali — confirmed the vessel hit a pillar of the bridge at about 1:30 a.m. while in control of one or more pilots, who are local specialists who help navigate vessels safely into ports. It said all crew members, including the two pilots on board, were accounted for, and there were no reports of any injuries. As the sun rose Tuesday, jagged remnants of the bridge jutted up from the water’s surface. The on-ramp ended abruptly where the span once began. Cartwright said that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River at the entrance to a busy harbor. The river leads to the Port of Baltimore, a major hub for shipping on the East Coast. Opened in 1977, the bridge is named for the writer of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said all vessel traffic into and out of the port would be suspended until further notice, though the facility was still open to trucks. Moore declared a state of emergency and said he was working to get federal resources deployed. The FBI was on the scene, but said there was no credible information to suggest terrorism. President Joe Biden was briefed. The Dali was headed from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and flying under a Singapore flag, according to data from Marine Traffic. The container ship is about 985 feet (300 meters) long and about 157 feet wide, according to the website. Danish shipping giant Maersk said it had chartered the vessel. No Maersk crew and personnel were on board. The collapse caused Maersk share at the Nasdaq Copenhagen to plummet 2% in early Tuesday trading. In 2001, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in a tunnel in downtown Baltimore and caught fire, spewing black smoke into surrounding neighborhoods and forcing officials to temporarily close all major roads into the city.  

LYNDON, Vt. — Historic covered bridges across the nation are taking a beating after trucks of all sizes — from box trucks to 18-wheelers — keep hitting them. To blame? The GPS. One of Vermont’s historic covered bridges has fallen under threat from the convenience of modern technology. Box truck drivers relying on GPS continually crash through Lyndon’s 140-year-old Miller’s Run bridge despite signs, including a flashing one, to deter vehicles that are too tall or too heavy from crossing. Drivers can face a fine of $5,000 from the town, plus state penalties. Still, the bridge keeps getting whacked. “GPS is the most general excuse that is given by drivers that do hit the bridge,” said Justin Smith, Lyndon’s municipal administrator. He says the real problem is lack of common sense. The bridge, built in 1878 and renovated in 1995, lies on a short cut motorists use to avoid downtown Lyndonville. The community, which has five historic covered bridges, including two that are in use, calls itself the “Covered Bridge Capital of the NEK,” short for Northeast Kingdom area. Police chief Jack Harris estimates the Miller’s Run bridge has been struck two dozen times, and at least once, two times in one day. The drivers are using GPS programs for cars rather than commercial vehicles, he said. Typically the damage is cosmetic, though on two occasions the bridge had to be closed for several months for repairs, he said. In 2019, a delivery truck hit the supports and the engineering and repair costs were nearly $100,000, said Smith. About half the time, the town recoups insurance money from the drivers — if it catches them. Many just drive away. “They will claim that they didn’t know they hit it and yet you’ll see the truck stop in the middle of the bridge and they’ll look up to see that they’re hitting the bridge,” Police Chief Harris said. “I can count the number that have stopped and waited on one hand,” Harris said. Many are inexperienced in driving box trucks, such as people who may have just rented one to move, he said. “Every now and then we’ll get a large camper being pulled through and those generally get damaged because the bridge will take air conditioning units right off the top,” he said. A neighbor’s security camera trained on the bridge has helped track down some errant drivers. Lyndon is far from alone, according to Bill Caswell, president of the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. “You can visit many covered bridges throughout Vermont and other states and see broken boards on the portals and broken or missing roof braces,” he said by email. Last November, a tractor-trailer truck seriously damaged a covered bridge in Princeton, Illinois, and a bridge in Ohio was damaged in a similar way a year earlier, he said. In 2019, a 108-year-old covered bridge that runs from New Hampshire to Vermont is need of repairs after a tractor trailer made a wrong turn and couldn’t clear it. An historic covered bridge in Cobb County, Georgia, was struck numerous times until metal barriers were installed at each end, he said. It also has a warning signs and flashing lights. “Even with all the warnings, the barriers are still struck,” Caswell wrote. “But the bridge is now protected.” A box truck rental company in Lyndonville now warns drivers about covered bridges in the area, and the town is considering installing a steel beam in front of the bridge to force trucks that are too tall to a full stop. A Google spokesperson said “Google Maps is designed for drivers of standard-sized vehicles. To get the best routes, we encourage drivers of trucks and larger vehicles to use navigation tools designed specifically for those vehicle types Apple did not respond to an email seeking comment. There are mixed views in town about what to do, Smith said. “Some people obviously want to see something that protects the bridge so we can keep it in place,” he said. “Others are like: ‘It’s time to take it off and set it on the side and put a more standard bridge in.” “I swear, we could take that bridge out and not replace it and people would go in the river. It’s very frustrating to think that we are that set to what something tells us to do.” The Trucker Staff contributed to this report.

PORTLAND, Maine — Maine environmental regulators decided Wednesday the state will not join a growing number of states adopting new standards designed to grow the use of electric vehicles. The rules, which originated in California, would have required an increasing percentage of new light-duty vehicles to be zero emission vehicles every year. The new standards would have started with 51% in 2028 and grow to 82% by 2032. The Maine Board of Environmental Protection’s vote on the proposal Wednesday had been anticipated for weeks. The proposal encountered a mixed reception in Maine, where some said it would speed up the already-growing adoption of electric vehicles and others warned it would be expensive and bad for rural residents. Members of the board said the state will likely take up the subjects of electric vehicles and reducing transportation emissions in another form. State lawmakers were also considering a proposal to give legislators more control of car emissions rules. Opponents of the defeated electric car proposal, including prominent state Republicans, described the move as wrong for the state’s economy and geography, and said it would heap costs onto consumers. “I’ve talked with many of my nearly 8,400 constituents who would love to have efficient vehicles to drive in an effort to be more environmentally friendly but they just cannot afford them,” testified state Rep. Jack Ducharme, a Republican from Madison. “Mandating them either in the case of trucks or passenger vehicles will not change that dynamic.” Environmental groups had rallied in support of the proposal. A dozen states have adopted the electric vehicle standards, and 17 states have adopted all or part of California’s low-emission and zero-emission vehicle regulations, according to the California Air Resources Board. “Consumers in Maine are already rapidly adopting electric vehicles,” said Sarah Krame, staff attorney with Sierra Club Environmental Law Program, in testimony. “Demand is so strong that lack of supply has been a major constraint on Maine residents looking to purchase EVs, with waitlists several months long for certain models.” Meanwhile, sales of electric vehicles have begun to slow. The Biden administration announced new emissions standards on Wednesday that could boost the industry. Transportation is a major contributor to Maine’s greenhouse gas emissions, and Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has made tackling climate change a major piece of her tenure. The state received hundreds of comments about the electric vehicle proposal in advance of Wednesday’s meeting. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group that represents car manufacturers, testified in support of the proposal.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — After three straight weeks of declines, the average price for a gallon of diesel fuel in the U.S. is up. According to the Energy Information Administration, as of March 18, the price sat at $4.028 per gallon, up from $4.004 per gallon on March 11 and $4.022 per gallon on March 4. Around the nation, prices are up and down, with the highest price in California at $5.203 per gallon. That’s down, however, from the March 11 price of $5.207 per gallon. The lowest average in the nation is along the Gulf Coast at $3.745 per gallon, up from $3.702 on March 11 and $3.731 per gallon on March 4. In the Midwest, drivers can expect to pay just under $4 per gallon with an average of $3.955. That’s up from $3.913 on March 11, according to the EIA. In the Rocky Mountain region, the average price is down to $3.968 per gallon on March 18 from $3.992 on March 11. Along the East Coast, the price sits at $4.127 per gallon on average, that’s up from $4.120 on March 11.

ATLANTA — A Georgia law firm that specializes in accident cases has issued the results of a study focusing on the most dangerous — and the safest– states for driving in the U.S. In 2023, the United States faced a significant challenge in road safety, with the National Safety Council reporting 44,986 motor vehicle fatalities, averaging 3,749 deaths per month, or about 123 daily. Baderscott.com’s findings rank Wyoming as the most dangerous state for driving, according to data from 2022 and 2023. Despite having only a population of 584,100, Wyoming has a record 27 fatality rate per 100,000 people, according to the study. Mississippi ranks second with a fatality rate of 27 per 100,000 people. However, the state has a far larger population — 2.9 million — compared to Wyoming, the study notes. With a population of 19,500, New York is the safest state, reporting five deaths per 100,000 people. Following are the states that rank three through 10 as the most dangerous for drivers in the U.S. All statistics are from 2023. Arkansas With 3.1 million inhabitants, Arkansas has a fatality rate of 22 deaths per 100,00 people, resulting in 688.11 deaths and ranking third on the list. Tennessee Despite a larger population of 7.1 million, Tennessee shares a fatality rate of 22 deaths per 100,000 people, recording the highest absolute number of deaths at 1,569. South Carolina Boasting 5.4 million residents, South Carolina’s fatality rate is 21 deaths per 100,000 people, resulting in a relatively high total of 1,138.68 deaths. New Mexico With 2.1 million people, New Mexico has a fatality rate of 21 deaths per 100,000 people, leading to a total of 447.50 deaths, proportionally high for its population size. Alabama Housing 5.1 million people, Alabama has a fatality rate of 20 deaths per 100,000 people, recording a total of 1,029.87 deaths, indicating a significant road safety issue. Kentucky With 4.5 million residents, Kentucky has a fatality rate of 20 deaths per 100,000 people, recording a total of 910.33 deaths, positioning it eighth on the list. Louisiana Hosting 4.6 million residents, Louisiana reports a lower fatality rate of 19 deaths per 100,000 people, with a total of 881.21 deaths. Arizona With a population of 7.4 million, Arizona has a fatality rate of 19 deaths per 100,000 people, resulting in the second-highest absolute number of deaths at 1,408.41. New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey were the safest states, according to the study. With a substantial population of over 19.5 million, New York stands as the safest state with a low fatality rate of 5 deaths per 100,000 people, totaling 1,055.92 deaths, which demonstrates their effective road safety policies in an extremely high-density region. Massachusetts follows with a fatality rate of six deaths per 100,000 people from a population of 7 million. The total number of deaths are 392.33, “indicating a strong commitment to road safety,” the study notes. New Jersey, with a population nearing 9.3 million, has a fatality rate of seven deaths per 100,000 people. Its total deaths are 658.99, “positioning it as one of the safest states for driving,” according to the study. For a complete look at the survey, click here.

CLARK COUNTY, Wis. — Authorities have released the names of seven Virginia residents and a Wisconsin man who were killed when their van collided with a tractor-trailer in western Wisconsin. A 2-year-old child was the only survivor. The Clark County sheriff’s office says the van’s driver, James K. McCoy, 46; Linda Byler, 44; Lydia Byler, 24; Orla Schrock, 24; Ellen Schrock, 23; Delila Schrock, 21; Suzanna Hertzler, 18; and a 6-month-old child died at the scene of the March 8 crash at an intersection in the rural community of Dewhurst. The semi driver, 51-year-old Daniel Liddicoat of Rewey, Wisconsin, also was pronounced dead at the scene. “The van was going northbound and there was a stop sign there,” sheriff’s office Chief Deputy James Hirsch said. “The semi was going east and the van pulled right out in front of the semi.” The 2-year-old was among seven victims ejected from the van by the crash, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Eau Claire. That child’s name and the name of the 6-month-old were not released. Their genders also were not released. Nathaniel Jahn, 36, said he was on his way to work Friday morning when he stopped at the intersection and watched in disbelief as the van pulled into the path of the semi. After calling 911, Jahn said he ran to the wreckage, where he found a woman and pulled her away from the van before he found a second woman lying next to the front of the truck, which had rolled into a ditch along State Highway 95. He was clearing dirt and debris from the face of the second woman when Jahn said something caught his attention. “I could hear a faint, like, whimpering sound, I remember. And it turned into a cry,” Jahn said Monday. “I dug down through the debris listening for the cries and pulling back the debris and I noticed there was a little baby — it turned out it was a little baby boy, but I didn’t know if it was boy or a girl — it was just crying,” Jahn added. “But his arms were moving and his legs were moving, kind of in the fetal position. And I tried to comfort him and I was trying to dig out around him I remember.” Jahn said he was extremely concerned about moving the child, but the van was burning and the child was close to the semi. He picked up the child, wrapped the child in his sweatshirt and carried the toddler to a police officer. “I knew I had to move him, to get him away from that wreckage,” Jahn said. Jahn, a surveyor and a former Marine, built a cross which his two daughters painted white and his wife, Jennifer, adorned with flowers. They travelled Sunday from their home near the city of Neillsville to the crash scene, where he planted the cross. Jahn, who first gave his account to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, said he feels like he was at the intersection at that moment for a reason. “To be able to find find that little boy and, maybe ease some passing along the way,” Jahn said. Over the weekend he and his wife visited the child at a hospital and met the child’s grandparents. He said that meeting brought him some comfort because he learned the boy has “got a bunch of family to go back to.”

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — From blinding snowstorms in Colorado to tornados in the South and Midwest, the U.S. has seen its share of wild weather over the past 24 hours. At least three people were killed Thursday night in Midwest tornadoes. Current weather conditions are available at the National Weather Service website. A major storm dumped heavy snow in Colorado on Thursday — forcing flight cancellations and shutting down Interstate 70 for much of the day, stranding some people in their cars for hours. The storm comes as other parts of the country face severe weather. Massive chunks of hail pelted parts of Kansas and Missouri on Wednesday night, with storms unleashing possible tornadoes in Kansas. Earlier this month, a blizzard dumped more than 10 feet of snow on a northern California ski resort. The Colorado storm, which began Wednesday night, delivered the slushy, wet snow typical for March, one of the snowiest months in Denver, and wasn’t expected to wind down until Friday morning. The heaviest accumulations were expected in Colorado’s Front Range region, where the eastern plains meet the Rocky Mountains and the vast majority of the state’s population lives. Most of the snow was falling in the foothills west of Denver. Those higher elevations had up to 3 feet of snow by Thursday and more than another foot was forecast by Friday morning. Denver itself got up to about 9 inches by Thursday. Up to another 10 inches were expected in the Denver area. A mountain stretch of I-70, the state’s main east-west highway, closed as the storm moved in Wednesday night. Trucks, many without the tire chains required to travel the route, got stuck and blocked other vehicles from getting through for hours. The big rigs were towed out by the afternoon, said Sgt. Patrick Rice of the Colorado State Patrol. Some drivers may have been stranded until I-70 reopened, he said, but no injuries were reported. The highway remains closed to trucks through noon Friday and could shut to passenger vehicles too as the storm picks up. Rice urged any drivers setting out to bring food and blankets in case they get trapped. “We’re going to continue to work at this and keep the road open the best we can,” said Matt Inzeo, a spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Transportation. Severe weather Tornadoes tore through several central U.S. states Thursday night, flattening homes and trailers in an RV park and killing at least three people, authorities said. Crews and cadaver dogs searched for more victims in the rubble Friday. Thursday night’s storms left trails of destruction and injuries or deaths in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas. Tornadoes were also suspected in Illinois and Missouri. In Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, residents began picking up the pieces late into the night. No serious injuries were reported. In Indiana, State Police said there are “many significant injuries” to at least 38 people after a tornado tore through the community of Winchester on Thursday, part of a storm system that also unleashed suspected twisters that damaged homes and businesses in parts of Ohio and Kentucky. Residents of the town of 4,700 about 70 miles northeast of Indianapolis picked tree branches and sheet metal from their yards Friday morning. Shingles littered the streets and fields in the southern part of town. The high school was serving as a temporary shelter. Carey Todd, 55, said the tornado looked like a “a bunch of black birds.” A church was destroyed. A few remnants still stood, as well as a mural depicting a flowing river, with a white awning still attached. A sign below the mural read, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” The storm damaged or destroyed about 130 homes and a Taco Bell restaurant, Mayor Bob McCoy said. He and his wife hunkered in a closet during the twister, which hit around 8 p.m. “I’ve never heard that sound before; I don’t want to hear it again,” McCoy said. West of Winchester, officials said as many as half the structures in the town of Selma, population 750, might have been damaged. Only minor injuries were reported, emergency officials said in a news release. Earlier in the night state police said they were investigating reports of deaths but at the news conference Carter said there were “no known fatalities.” State officials called on Indiana Task Force One to help with search efforts in Winchester. The team is one of 28 Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency-sponsored Urban Search and Rescue teams in the United States. “I’m shaken; it’s overwhelming,” McCoy said. “I heard what sounded like a train and then I started hearing sirens.” He and his wife were hunkered in a closet during the twister, which hit about 8 p.m. “I’ve never heard that sound before; I don’t want to hear it again,” McCoy said. The suspected tornado damaged a Walmart store and a Taco Bell in Winchester, Randolph County Sheriff Art Moystner told FOX59/CBS4. Travel throughout the county is restricted to emergency management workers only, he said. At about the same time as the tornado hit Winchester, another suspected twister touched down about 75 miles to the east in Ohio. The tornado hit near the southern end of Indian Lake, impacting the villages of Lakeview and Russells Point, said Sheri Timmers, a spokesperson for Logan County, home to the villages. “As far as we know, we have lots of injuries. We don’t know the extent of the injuries,” Timmers said. “An RV park was impacted.” Multiple buildings in the Indian Lake area were damaged, Timmers said, but the full extent of the destruction was still being assessed. Whether anyone was missing in the aftermath, was not immediately known. “They’re right now doing some searching,” she said. Amber Fagan, president and chief executive of the Indian Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, called the village of Lakeview “completely demolished,” saying homes, campgrounds and a laundromat were hard-hit by the tornado. “There’s places burning,” she said. “There’s power lines through people’s windows.” A shelter has been opened for anyone displaced. In Ohio’s Huron County, emergency management officials posted on Facebook that there was a “confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado” near Plymouth — some 75 miles northeast of Indian Lake. To the west of Winchester in Delaware County, emergency management officials said initial assessments suggested that up to half of the structures in the small town of Selma were damaged by a possible tornado. “We are relieved to report that only minor injuries have been reported thus far, with one individual transported to the hospital for treatment,” the Delaware County Emergency Management Agency said in a news release. About 750 people live in Selma. Earlier, storms damaged homes and trailers in the Ohio River communities of Hanover and Lamb in Indiana. The Ohio governor’s office said they did not have any information about fatalities in the state. Jefferson County Sheriff Ben Flint said storms destroyed three or four single-family homes and four or five other structures and demolished several uninhabited campers along the river. “We were fortunate that no one was injured,” Flint told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. Sgt. Stephen Wheeles of the Indiana State Police earlier said another suspected tornado struck Jefferson County, damaging several homes and downing trees and power lines. He posted photos on X showing one home with its roof torn off and another missing roof shingles as well as an image of a baseball-sized hailstone. Around 2,000 Duke Energy customers in Hanover lost power at one point during the storms, the company reported. In Kentucky, Trimble County Emergency Management Director Andrew Stark said the storms damaged at least 50 structures, including homes. “We have a whole bunch of damage,” Stark told the Courier Journal of Louisville. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear issued a statement saying a tornado touched down along the Indiana state border in Gallatin and Trimble counties and there were reports of a couple of minor injuries. He urged Kentuckians to stay aware of the weather as more storms were expected across the state Thursday evening and overnight. “It does appear that there is some really significant damage, especially to the town of Milton in Trimble County,” Beshear said. “We think there are over 100 structures that are potentially damaged.” The state’s emergency operations center was activated to coordinate storm response, Beshear said. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb posted on Facebook Thursday night that the Indiana Department of Homeland Security is monitoring the current weather situation. “Severe weather has impacted Hoosiers all across the state, and we have emergency response personnel in the impacted areas,” he wrote. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security posted on Facebook that their staff are on scene in Randolph County, home to Winchester, working with locals and that the State Emergency Operations Center has been activated to an enhanced staffing level to respond to the storm. A Facebook post on the Winchester Community High School page said all the schools in that school district would be closed on Friday. Another post said the high school had electricity and was open for emergency use for people who “need somewhere warm and dry.” Large pieces of hail also was reported in parts of the St. Louis area Thursday afternoon. There were unconfirmed reports of tornadoes in Jefferson County, Missouri, and Monroe County, Illinois, but no immediate reports of damage. Severe weather was possible into Thursday night from northeast Texas to Indiana and Ohio, the National Weather Service said on X. Back in Colorado, more than 53,000 customers were without power across Colorado on Thursday primarily in metro Denver and along the Front Range, according to poweroutage.us. But plenty of people were enjoying the snow, like Melanie Brooks, who was out walking her dogs Thursday morning in Denver. “I’m kind of sad that I didn’t make it up to the mountains because now it’s tough to drive there, and I’m missing a powder day,” she said. Since the storm is the rarer kind that brings more snow to the eastern half of the state rather than the mountains, it may not do much to feed the Colorado River, which supplies water to more than 40 million people in the West. The storm started as rain in the Denver area and turned into snow. The area was expected to get 10 to 20 inches of snow, with up to 2 feet in the western suburbs, the weather service said. Jarmila Schultz, 77, was tackling her sidewalks in shifts as the snow continued to fall. “I have to get out early because I have to do it like four times because it’s going to snow all day,” she said, noting she has cleats on her boots to prevent her from falling. “It’s water, ice and it’s very hard for me to lift.” But she still loves the snow. “You know, in my time I skied, snow-shoed and did all this and I think Colorado’s incredible for those type of things.” Denver deployed 36 residential plows starting at 3 a.m. Thursday with the plan to shave the top few inches of snow off streets, to help clear paths to main streets. Tyler Barnes, a Miami native who drove a ride-share overnight, was trying snow-shoeing for the first time Thursday morning, and found it was pretty easy. “It was really what I hoped it would be like,” he said. “I feel confident I could walk a long way in these.” Denver International Airport was open Thursday, but about 800 flights were canceled with nearly 200 more delayed, according to Flightaware.com. The snowstorm comes as other parts of the country face severe weather. Massive chunks of hail pelted parts of Kansas and Missouri on Wednesday night, with storms unleashing possible tornadoes in Kansas. The Trucker Staff contributed to this report.