The bitterly cold and icy weather that set in last week probably put the fix to the last hope area residents held out for the early spring promised when the nation’s official ground hog didn’t see his shadow on Feb.

1. Although beautiful on trees and fences, the deceptive glaze of ice that coated roadways Wednesday had motorists slip sliding into ditches and fences and contributed to at least one area fatality. Leqwan Dontae Heath, 27, of Oklahoma City, died about 2:56 a.m. Wednesday northwest of Geary when the Peterbilt semi tractor trailer he was driving jack-knifed on an icy asphalt county road northwest of Geary. Heath was pronounced dead at the scene from head and internal injuries, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol report. Heath’s semi landed on its side in a south ditch, striking a utility pole.

[Photo Courtesy Ruthie Bengs, via Facebook]