By Mike Sever

and Deborah Guziak

Record-Courier staff writers

Drivers weren't any better with the second snowfall of the season in Portage County than they were with the first.

Police agencies were busy Tuesday morning with numerous minor accidents as drivers slid on snow- and ice- covered roads all around the county.

One woman had to be cut out of her sport utility vehicle after it slid off Interstate 76 and down an embankment near S.R. 14 in Edinburg.

The woman came up on a previous accident and slid while trying to stop, according to the Ohio Highway Patrol.

Firefighters from Edinburg and Palmyra cut the roof off the car to remove the trapped driver. No injuries were reported.

The patrol handled more than 16 calls Tuesday morning. Tuesday night, an SUV spun out on the S.R. 59 bridge in the Blackhorse section of Ravenna Township, ending up facing the wrong direction in the westbound lanes. Another disabled vehicle could be seen in a ditch across from the Kent/Ravenna Walmart on the Ravenna Township-Franklin Township line.

As snow bombarded the county -- as well as its streets, roads and bridges -- emergency dispatchers remained busy throughout the night.

Just after 5 p.m., two cars collided near the intersection of S.R. 14 and S.R. 88 sending three people to the hospital, two of whom were reported in serious condition. Traffic backed up and the road was closed until around 6:30 p.m.

Vehicles were reported off the road all over the county. A dispatcher for the Ravenna Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol said at 10 p.m. all the patrolmen were busy responding to accidents, and did not have time to recount all of the crashes.

On S.R. 261, near Campus Center Road in Kent, a vehicle slid off the road around 6:30 p.m., resulting in the transport of one person to Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna with unknown injuries.

A car rollover also was reported shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday at Powdermill and Summit roads in Franklin Township.

Road crews were out before daylight Tuesday, but because of high salt prices and the prospect of a shortage later in the winter, most are using "conservative practices," meaning they're salting intersections and hills only.

In Ravenna, Service Director Don Kainrad said the road crews were given a directive to salt inclines, intersections and intersection approaches. The city has 1,500 tons of salt and may not have the opportunity to purchase more, he said. Last year, the city used 2,000 tons of salt.

"The salting of the roads won't be what it's been in the past," he said. "People will need to be very cautious; leave earlier; drive slower and have assured clear distance between cars."

Road crews were out Sunday night in Kent to prepare bridges for the freezing weather, said Jack Hogue, central maintenance manager. Crews went out Monday night to salt the roads as snow began to fall.

"Our problem is, while we have the equipment, we can't keep (drivers) out all night," Hogue said. "They need rest periods and sleep, so we have to stagger the men's time."

Portage County Engineer Michael Marozzi said his 22 drivers and trucks were out before sunrise Tuesday.

Bands of snow dumped more than five inches of snow on some parts of the county, and snow showers through Tuesday caused temporary whiteouts for drivers.

As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, Kent had five inches of snow on the ground, the highest in Portage County. Ravenna had two inches and Mantua an inch-and-a-half, according to the National Weather Service.

In Geauga County, Bainbridge reported four inches of snowfall Tuesday morning.

There's a slight chance of snow showers today and snow is likely tonight, according to the National Weather Service. Portage is likely to see more snow as a lake effect snow advisory is in effect.