Rush-hour snowfall leads to crashes, delays

Spring snow that hit Southcentral Thursday morning wrecked havoc on commutes in and near Anchorage.
A single vehicle heading northbound rolled through the median on the Glenn Highway near the Palmer Hayflats, striking another vehicle in an oncoming lane, according to the Alaska State Troopers.
The driver of the northbound vehicle, 26-year-old Jay Sabic of Palmer, suffered severe injuries. Thursday afternoon, Sabic was listed in serious but stable condition at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, troopers said.
Both southbound lanes of the Glenn were closed at Mile 33 as emergency services and trooper investigators worked at the scene, troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said. One lane reopened about an hour after the crash.
Another collision involving two vehicles on the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Girdwood, at mile 107, resulted in minor injuries, Peters said.
Early reports from troopers included four vehicle collisions, one with injuries, on the Glenn and three wrecks on the Seward Highway, including two injuries.
The Anchorage Police Department responded to 20 vehicles in distress -- commonly called "ditch divers" -- and 14 collisions by 8 a.m. Four of those resulted in injuries, spokesman Lt. Dave Parker said.
An advisory from the National Weather Service calling for up to 8 or 9 inches of snow in Anchorage and the Matanuska Valley was lifted earlier this morning. The weather service later reported the snow tapering off through the day, with a total of 2 to 5 inches accumulation.