Officers from the Hamlet Police Department responded to several calls of slide-offs and stranded motorists. Due to the conditions, deputies put the department-issued Humvee to work.
Extreme winds, snow and cold, made roads impassable in Starke County. Motorists were stranded and desperate for help. The hummer was deployed around noon on Saturday and officers were able to rescue 18 people from stranded cars along U.S. 30 and U.S. 35 along with others stuck on many county roads, according to a news release.
The people who were picked up by dedicated officers were taken to gas stations, their homes or to the Catholic Church in Hamlet that was set up as a shelter. Cots and food were delivered to the church for the people who sought the location for shelter.
The military vehicle also retrieved a squad car. An officer was attempting to get to motorists who called for help, but the car got stuck in drifts over the hood along 600 North. Two damaged vehicles were also pulled from roadways to allow emergency vehicles to get to their destination.
Many other occupied vehicles were pulled out of ditches so motorists could make it to safety.
