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The quick freeze

Drivers were greeted with icy travels Sunday morning, leading to multiple crashes and reports of vehicles sliding off area roads.

The light rain and temperatures hovering at the freezing mark either created just the right conditions or exactly the wrong ones.Some motorists reported sliding past intersections, while others were stopped because of closed roads.At least one person was injured in a crash on an ice-covered Route 248. The crash occurred at 9:30 a.m. in the eastbound lanes near the cantilever.Route 248 in Lehigh Township was closed as motorists were not able to negotiate the ice-covered roadway. The road was closed east of the intersection with Route 145.A rollover crash along Route 145 in Lehigh Township at 9:30 a.m. injured at least one person. The crash was about a mile south of Walnutport. Route 145 was closed almost two hours.Crews were also dispatched to multiple incidents on Route 209, at least one of which was in Towamensing Township.Temperatures were in the mid-20s to upper 30s during the morning and early afternoon.A freezing rain advisory ended at 1 p.m. for Carbon, Monroe and Northampton counties, but precipitation continued into the afternoon, washing away salt from sidewalks and driveways and causing dangerous icy conditions all over again.State police at Lehighton reported on the following crashes, all blamed on icy road conditions.• A one-vehicle crash was reported at 10:10 a.m. north of Anderson Drive, on Route 209 in Towamensing Township. Susan Silfies, 60, of Lehighton, was driving a 2007 Dodge Caravan northbound when she lost control. The vehicle left the road and struck a utility pole.Silfies was transported by ambulance to the Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, for treatment of moderate injuries, troopers said. Damages to the Caravan were disabling.Another crash on 209 was reported about 10:30 a.m.Troopers said Geraldine Weaver, 28, was northbound, also near Anderson Drive, when her 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt spun and hit a 2005 Ford Freestyle driven by Tim Weaver, 23, of Kunkletown.Tim Weaver lost control and hit a sign and utility pole. It had to be towed from the scene.Neither driver was injured, police said.• Also on Route 209, north of Sei Pike Lane, Bruce Mack, 57, of Gilbert, lost control of his 2008 Chrysler Sebring just before 10 a.m.The car hit a utility pole and was towed from the scene.Mack was uninjured.• Another one-vehicle crash was reported at 10:13 a.m. on Route 209 in Polk Township, Monroe County in which the driver is facing charges.Troopers said Rachael M. Gaston, 37, of Stroudsburg, was driving a 2007 Jeep Wrangler northbound when it left the road and crashed into a building at 665 Interchange Road (209), Fry's Plastic.Troopers said Gaston then fled the scene but was later located. Charges will be filed, troopers added.• Troopers investigated a one-vehicle crash about 9:30 a.m. on Route 248 in Lower Towamensing Township. Troopers said Robert S. Kugler Jr., 28, of Bowmanstown, was driving a 1990 Ford Ranger pickup when he lost control. The truck slid off the road in a clockwise rotation and off a small embankment. The truck came to rest against a tree on the driver's side. Kugler was injured and taken to the Palmerton hospital by Palmerton ambulance. The Ford was towed from the scene.• Two crashes occurred along Meixsell Valley Road, in Ross Township, Monroe County. The first was reported at 8:40 a.m. as Kristie C. Coppinger, 22, of Saylorsburg, was driving a 2006 Pontiac G5 westbound, just east of Flyte Road, and attempting to negotiate a left curve when she lost control. The car crossed the centerline and began to spin counterclockwise and onto the south shoulder where it struck a tree. After striking the tree the car spun counterclockwise and came to rest facing north in the eastbound lane. Coppinger was not injured.The second crash occurred at 8:55 a.m. Deborah M. McCafferty, 51, of Saylorsburg, was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu eastbound, just east of Old Route 115, when she lost control. The car skidded out of control and traveled off onto the berm where it came to rest. McCafferty was not injured. The car had to be towed.• Troopers investigated a crash at 10:45 a.m. along Trachsville Hill Road, in Towamensing Township. Troopers said Chad M. Kershner II, 27, of Lehighton, was driving a 2003 Ford Escape northbound and attempting to negotiate a right curve going downhill when he lost control. The Escape began to spin counterclockwise, crossed the center line, and struck a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic being driven southbound by Clifford A. Weighknecht, 48, of Kunkletown. Both vehicles spun counterclockwise and came to rest facing south.No one was injured.• A one-vehicle crash was reported at 9:39 a.m. along Kunkletown Road, in Eldred Township, Monroe County. Troopers said Brandon J. Scott, 21, of Kunkletown, was driving a 1999 Dodge Ram truck eastbound, near Fiddletown Road, and attempting to make a left turn onto Fiddletown Road when the vehicle slid on the icy road. The truck continued straight into a stop sign and a concrete wall.Scott was not injured.Roads were no better around many parts of the state, including Interstate 76 near Philadelphia, where flash-freezing led to a 20-car pileup around 6:30 a.m., according to the Associated Press.All lanes of Interstate 76 were closed west of Philadelphia and Interstates 95 and 476 also had closures.The next chance of snow comes Wednesday, when forecasters list the probability of flakes at 40 percent.Den McLaughlin contributed to this report.

Larry Neff/Special to the Times News At least one person was injured when involved in a crash on an ice-covered Route 248. The crash occurred at 9:30 a.m. in the eastbound lanes near the cantilever.