Crashes kill 2 as wintery weather makes for slippery roads

Snowy, icy weather contributed to several serious collisions Monday morning, including onefatal crashinPetawawa, Ont.,and another near Shawville, Que.

An unidentified driver was pronounced dead at thescene of the Petawawa crash,Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said in a news release.

The cause of that collision between a tractor-trailer and passenger vehicle around 6:30 a.m. near Black Bay Roadis under investigation.

Highway 17is closed in both directions between Black Bay and Doran Road, south of the town centre and military base.

Quebec provincial police said a head-on crash on route 148 east of Shawvillejust before 7 a.m. left a 55-year-old woman dead and two others injured.

That road was closed just east of chemin Hodgins until around noon.

Messy roads in the capital

Highway 417in Ottawa and Highway 50 in Gatineau, Que.,saw crash after crash as a blast of snowhit Monday morning's rush hour.

OPP acting Sgt. Erin Crantonsaid police responded to at least a dozen crashes on Highway 417 alone,including a pileup near Bronson Avenue. The highway was briefly closed westbound near that exit.

None of the crashes caused serious injuries, she said.Ottawa paramedics confirmed one person was taken to hospital in stable condition because ofa crashnear Island Park Drive.

Drivers should avoid Highway 417 if they can and use extra caution on other roads, she said.. Black ice has been reported to police.

"Officers are very busy," said Cranton just after 8 a.m. Monday. "We're asking for everyone's patience."

In a tweet just before 9 a.m., Ottawa police said 19 crashes had been reported on city roadssince 6 a.m.