Police say 1,000+ crashes in Gwinnett County alone

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Police in Gwinnett County have stayed busy with the snow and ice, responding to 1,140 traffic related incidents in just 36 hours.

Channel 2's Tony Thomas encountered both dry and icy spots throughout the county on Thursday.

A common site across the area would be wrecker services or owners picking up cars abandoned during the freeze.

The thaw left Maya McCullough and others on Lee Road in a quandry: Should she drive around the cones blocking the road and get home quickly or obey the blockade and wait for all the ice to melt?   
It was the last road officially shut down due to ice in Gwinnett County.

“Your gut’s normally right, which way you choose,” McCullough said.

Most people ignored the cones.

About 15 hours prior, Thomas watched a car slide down the slippery slope. It wound up right alongside several other stalled cars.

Thursday, a few of those vehicles remained left alongside the now mostly dry pavement.

“They have put some gravel and stuff down, but there is one spot in the shade little slippery,” said driver Philip Jameson.

Jameson admitted he had another route home, but came this way to test out his truck and play.

“To see if I can make it, that's how you learn,” Jameson said.

During the height of the icing, Gwinnett County got so busy, commanders put every available detective and other non-patrol units on the street responding to calls

They've now returned to normal duty as the roads return to normal too.

“I've been told it's melted pretty much so it shouldn't be too bad,” McCullough said

Officials said those 1,140 traffic incidents they responded to were mostly accidents but also included street hazards, citizen assists and stranded drivers.

Cox Media Group