SHERWOOD TWP. — A petroleum spill created a slip and side at the intersection of M-60 and M-66 Tuesday afternoon around 2:30 creating traffic problems for over an hour.

Tribal Police officer Melvin Taylor left Athens to go to Union City. He noticed the road slick near the roadside park south of the Branch County line on M-66.

At the intersection, his patrol vehicle lost traction and slide along the road. Other vehicles also lost traction sliding on the roadway.

Taylor notified Branch County central dispatch. Sherwood Fire sent two trucks. Chief Jeff Smurr and crew spread “oil dry” near the dangerous intersection. Traffic on M-60 coming out of a curve does not stop.

Taylor and firefighters directed traffic headed south away from the slick until a Branch County Road Commission truck arrived loaded with sand.

With a Branch County Sheriff deputy stopping traffic on M-60, the truck spread sand on M-66 and east on M-60 where the leaking vehicle turned. Traces of the oil-like material continued over a mile further toward Blossom Road the fire department reported. The cause of the spill is under investigation.

Taylor, the training officer for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Tribal Police Department in Calhoun County, said “it’s nice we could all work together on something like this.”

His department provides police protection in Athens and the nearby reservation. With tribal land in Sherwood Township, the officers are also sworn in Branch County.