The North Dakota Highway Patrol released the following statement about its efforts during the blizzard:
On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, a historical snow storm covered North Dakota with up to 36 inches of snow in some locations. The majority of roads in the central and western part of the state were closed or had no travel advisories in place because of blizzard conditions. These conditions lasted through Thursday, April 14, 2022. North Dakota Highway Patrol Troopers were ready to answer the call and assist the public and other state agencies during this historic storm. We are proud of the efforts troopers put fourth during this severe winter weather event. Here is an overview of incidents and events troopers dealt with and some photos of the conditions they had to endure. This is not a full list of incidents and events as troopers may still need to log their activities.
• 04.11.22 - NDHP and ND Parks and Recreation coordinate movements around the state of snowmobiles, Tucker Snowmobile Trail Groomers, and Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTV) for use in potential rescue situations because of the incoming blizzard. Locations were based on National Weather Service predictions. UTVs were placed in Minot, Bottineau, New Salem, Devils Lake, Underwood, Bismarck, Dickinson, Bowman, Carrington, Elgin, Valley City, Marion, and Stanley.
• 04.12.22 – At around 6:30 p.m. CDT, a trooper responded to a motorist assist on I-94 just west of Steele. The motorist went into the ditch and became stuck. The trooper gave two occupants a ride to the Coffee Cup in Steele. Photo of the stuck vehicle and conditions.
• 04.12.22 – At around 4:55 p.m. MDT, a trooper responded to a call of a vehicle in the ditch on I-94 in Dickinson. The trooper gave the driver a ride to a hotel in Dickinson. Photo of the stuck motorist and conditions.
• 04.12.22 – At around 2:21 p.m. MDT, a trooper responded to a vehicle in the median on I-94 west of Dickinson. The trooper gave the driver a ride to Dickinson. No photo available.
• 4.12.22 – At around 1:55 p.m. CDT, a trooper responded to a vehicle in the median on I-94 east of Bismarck. The trooper gave the driver a ride into Bismarck. No photo available.
• 04.12.22 – At around 9:30 a.m. CDT, a trooper responded to a non-reportable property crash in Bismarck that involved a Bismarck Police Department vehicle. Photo of scene.
• 04.12.22 – At around 11:26 a.m. MDT, a trooper responded to a semi in the ditch on I-94 in Dickinson. Photo of scene and conditions.
• 04.12.22 – At around 12:30 p.m. CDT, a trooper responded to a crash on I-94 between Sterling and Steele. Photo of vehicle and conditions.
• 04.12.22 – At around 8:00 p.m. CDT, a trooper responded to a stranded motorists on Hwy 36 west of Pingree. The motorist was stuck after trying to avoid the interstate closure. The trooper used the agencies Emergency Response Team UTV to get from Carrington to the motorist’s location. A Stutsman County Deputy also responded to the scene. The trooper and deputy shoveled the motorist out and the motorist was able to follow the deputy to Jamestown.
• 04.13.22 – At around 3:30 a.m. CDT, a trooper was called out to do a blood run from Minot to Bottineau. The trip took nearly four hours. NDDOT snow plow operators helped clear the way.
• 4.13.2022 – At about 10:00 p.m. MDT, a trooper responded to the report of a motorist in the ditch on Hwy 85 just north of Belfield. The driver was arrested for actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Photo is of the scene and conditions.
• 04.13.2022 – A trooper shuttled 5 State Radio Dispatchers from their home to the Law Enforcement Training Academy in Bismarck. Dispatcher stayed at the academy so they could easily access State Radio. The photo on the left is a dispatcher getting into Lt. Luke Hendrickson’s patrol vehicle. In the photo on the right is Lt. Hendrickson and Alayna from State Radio.
• 04.13.22 – At about 8:15 a.m. CDT, a trooper responded to the call of a vehicle in the median near the Crystal Springs Rest Area on I-94. The driver reported being in the vehicle since the previous evening. The trooper transported the driver to a hotel in Steele. No photo available.
• 04.13.22 – A trooper responded from Elgin to pick up two individuals who got stuck about 40 miles from Elgin. No photos available.
• 04.13.2022 – NDHP coordinated with NDDOT and NDDES to recover several plow operators that were stuck throughout the Minot District. Additionally, members of the North Dakota Snowmobile Club, with the coordination of NDDES and ND Parks and Rec, provided rides on snowmobiles to NDHP troopers who had to abandon their stuck vehicles during extreme snowfall and whiteout conditions. No photos available.
• 04.13.2022 – At around 5:20 p.m. CDT, troopers responded to a crash on I-94 between Sterling and Steele. Photo is of the scene and the overturned vehicle.
• 04.13.22 A trooper assisted the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office with three rescues in the Watford City area with aid of their tracked UTV. No photos available.
• 04.13.22 – A trooper in Minot helped coordinate the removal of approximately 30 CMVs on Hwy 2 within the Minot area who were stopped at road closure signs find parking in the Minot area. No photos available.
• 04.14.22 – A trooper helped rescue 5 stranded motorists from County Road 139 west of New Salem and transported them to New Salem. The trooper was assisted by a New Salem resident who transported some of the motorist for the trooper. No photo available.
• 04.14.22 – A trooper located two stranded motorists near Almont and coordinated with Almont Fire Department and Morton County Highway Department to have them transported to safety in Almont. Photo of the snowmobile provided by North Dakota Parks and Rec and the stuck vehicle.
• Troopers in the Northwest Region provided countless assistance to stranded and stuck motorists. They discovered abandoned and occupied vehicles, physically shoveling and pushing vehicles out, providing rides from the scene, providing traffic control for towing operators, and providing motorist information at gate closures that were staffed 24/7 during the closure. No photos available.
