Tuesday’s snowfall to blame for 17 accidents in Belleville

Vehicles were towed away after an accident near Loyalist College’s main entrance Tuesday morning. Photo by Mark Hodgins, QNet News

BELLEVILLE – Tuesday’s snowstorm made driving very dangerous in Belleville.

Over the course of the day Belleville Police responded to 17 accidents, the first happening just before 7 a.m. and the last at 7:40 p.m.

Around 4:30 p.m. a man was seriously injured when he attempted to save his neighbour’s dog, according to police. The 40-year-old ran out onto Old Madoc Road in Thurlow Ward and both he and the dog were hit by a pickup truck, police said. The dog died there on the road while the man was taken to Belleville General Hospital with injuries to his back, hips and legs.

Meanwhile, an accident that police said involved two cars at the Loyalist College main entrance Tuesday morning put two people in hospital with minor injuries. An 82-year-old man was charged with disobeying a red light.

But despite the number of collisions, those two were the only ones to cause injury that required medical attention, police said.

Quinte is again under a snow squall watch Wednesday, as another belt of snow is expected to hit the area late in the afternoon and into the evening.

Envir. Canada forecast for the day includes flurries & local snow squalls with 10 to 15 cm snow. Please remember to avoid parking on street.

— City of Belleville (@BellevilleON) January 13, 2016

All of Tuesday’s collisions:

• 6:43 a.m.: A single-vehicle accident at 345 College St. The driver suffered minor injuries and the car was towed. No charges were laid.
• 7:02 a.m.: A single-vehicle accident in front of the firehall on West Moira Street. The airbags deployed and the car was towed from the scene. There were no injuries and no charges were laid.
• 7:15 a.m.: A car struck a utility pole on College Street West. The car was towed and there was minor damage to the pole. There were no injuries and no charges were laid.
• 7:21 a.m.: A two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Dundas Street West and Palmer Road. The Belleville Fire Department and emergency workers were sent to the scene because both drivers suffered minor injuries. Both cars were towed from the intersection. No charges were laid.
• 9:07 a.m.: A car hit a city bus at Pinnacle Street and Market Street. The driver of the car, a 43-year-old Belleville woman, was charged with disobeying a red light. Her car was towed from the scene. There was no damage to the bus.
• 9:53 a.m.: A two-vehicle accident on North Front Street.
• 9:55 a.m.: A two-vehicle accident on College Street East.
• 9:56 a.m.: A car went into the ditch on Blessington Road. There were no injuries and there was no damage to the car.
• 9:57 a.m.: A two-car accident on Wallbridge-Loyalist Road at Loyalist College. Both drivers required medical attention and were taken to Belleville General Hospital. Both cars were towed from the scene. An 82-year-old Belleville man was charged with disobeying a red light.
• 10:27 a.m.: Another vehicle went into the ditch on Blessington Road. There were no injuries and the vehicle suffered no damage.
• 1:58 p.m.: A two-vehicle accident on Dundas Street West.
• 1:59 p.m.: A two-vehicle accident on Catharine Street.
• 3:11 p.m.: A car drove into both a stop sign and a street sign at the corner of Cannifton Road and McFarland Drive. The driver fled the scene before police arrived. A witness provided officers with the licence-plate number of the vehicle and the investigation is continuing.
• 3:33 p.m.: A two-vehicle accident on College Street West.
• 4:26 p.m.: A man was hit by a pickup truck on Old Madoc Road in Thurlow Ward. Police say the 40-year-old man had run out onto the roadway in an attempt to save his neighbour’s dog. The man and the dog were both struck by the truck. The dog died at the scene while the man was taken to hospital. No charges were laid.
• 4:31 p.m.: A parked car was hit in a parking lot on Bell Boulevard.
• 7:40 p.m.: There was a two-car accident on Bridge Street West at Coleman Street. One driver reported minor injuries but did not require medical attention. A 39-year-old Belleville man was charged with disobeying a red light.