STURGIS, S.D. — A large flock of birds were grounded on the road in Boulder Canyon on Thanksgiving afternoon as their feathers froze in flight and they were unable to fly, creating a hazard for both birds and drivers.
A light freezing mist and drizzle led to icy roads in the Sturgis, Rapid City and northern hills areas on Thanksgiving day, causing several accidents. There was also heavy fog in areas.
The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office posted that Highway 79 was very slick, and said they were dispatched to an SUV that had rolled over on the highway.
There were a number of accidents reported around the Neck Yoke area outside of Rapid City, a detour on Sheridan Lake Road in Rapid City due to multiple accidents, at least two roll-overs between Whitewood and Rapid City, while in the Deadwood/Lead area, no travel was advised.
The Meade County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) reported numerous crashes after vehicles hit ice patches and left the road.
At this time, there are no reports of injuries.
But the birds didn’t fare so well.
