CLEVELAND, Ohio - Troopers responded to eight crashes that killed 11 people in Ohio during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Troopers responded to 766 crashes statewide from midnight Wednesday through 11 p.m. Sunday, representing an 11% increase in crashes from the previous year’s holiday weekend.

Officials attributed the spike primarily to accumulating snow and strong wind gusts that swept through several regions.

“Anytime we experience adverse weather our crashes rise, and our traffic stops decrease,” said Sgt. Jeremy Kindler, spokesman for the Ohio State Highway Patrol. “The weather plays a large role in troopers being more reactive than proactive.”

While the fatality count remained steady from last year, it marked a continued decline from

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