TIFFIN, Ohio – Dangerous road conditions caused by icy surfaces led to several vehicle slide-offs in Seneca County on Thursday morning, February 13, 2025. The first reports came in early, with a pickup truck and a semi-trailer both sliding off the road in Pleasant Township. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick Stevens described the perilous situation, stating that deputies responding to the scene could only drive at speeds of 5 to 10 miles per hour before losing traction on the icy roads. This prompted Sheriff Stevens to escalate the county’s snow emergency to Level 3, the highest level of alert, urging residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
“The deputies could only go 5 to 10 miles an hour before they started sliding and stuff,” Sheriff Stevens explained. “I made the decision to bump it up to Level 3 for everyone’s safety.”
This marked the second snow emergency declaration for Sheriff Stevens during his time in office, with the first occurring in January 2021. The sheriff emphasized that weather conditions, particularly snowstorms and their path through the county, play a key role in determining when to issue snow emergency warnings.
Sheriff Stevens stays in close communication with surrounding sheriffs to ensure coordinated responses to severe weather. “I’m in a text group with neighboring sheriffs, and we try to work together as much as possible, especially when big storms affect multiple counties,” he said. “We try to issue our snow emergency calls around the same time if the storm is widespread.”
As the winter season continues, more hazardous weather, including sleet and snow, is expected to impact the region this weekend. Sheriff Stevens advises residents to remain vigilant and follow any updates from local authorities.