Storm Shuts Schools in U.S. Midsection

A storm sweeping eastward from the southern Plains brought snow and freezing rain to wide areas of the nation’s midsection today, glazing roads from Texas to Tennessee and keeping schoolchildren and many adults home.

Countless accidents, and one fatality, were reported as trucks jackknifed on slick overpasses and cars slid into each other. Freeways in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and around Oklahoma City were jammed during the morning rush-hour because of hazardous conditions and numerous fender-benders, authorities said.

Schools were closed in many parts of northern and central Texas, and in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Oklahoma Gov. George Nigh told non-essential state workers to stay home, and some courts in the Little Rock, Ark., area canceled sessions.

“It’s caused us a lot of accidents and it’s just because people won’t slow down,” said police Lt. Keith Ferguson of Amarillo, in the Texas panhandle.