A high-speed car chase that started in La Plata County ended early Tuesday with a woman’s death, according to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office posted to its Facebook page that deputies responded to the chase early Tuesday on U.S. Highway 550, on the La Plata County side.
Deputies stopped the vehicle near mile marker 67, north of Molas Lake. The highway was closed as a result of the investigation and opened around 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to CoTrip.org.
The Sheriff’s Office declined calls from the media, so it’s unclear what transpired after the vehicle was stopped.
The Facebook post says the female driver ultimately died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Undersheriff Steve Lowrance was taken to Mercy Regional Medical Center “with facial wounds received while trying to prevent the driver from her actions,” according to the Facebook post.
Lowrance was in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery, the Sheriff’s Office said.
According to the post, two passengers in the vehicle were taken into custody and taken to the La Plata County Jail.
The Sheriff’s Office said it is not yet releasing names of those involved.
The Sheriff’s Office also wrote that the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is taking over the incident.
A CBI spokeswoman said Tuesday morning she did not have additional information to provide about the incident, which remained under investigation.
Heather Walls, a Hermosa resident, said a line of 15 cars were backed up on the southern end of Highway 550, just north of Purgatory Resort, around 8 a.m.
Walls said Colorado Department of Transportation crews told her the highway was closed a little before 6 a.m. She arrived at the closure around 6:45 a.m. headed for Montana.
A spokeswoman with CDOT did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
This is a developing story. Check back with www.durangoherald.com for updates.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
Suicide resources
Help for people having suicidal thoughts or for those who fear a person is considering killing himself can be found from these sources:
Axis Health System:
24-hour hotline at 247-5245.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline:
(800) 273-TALK (8255) or text “TALK” to 741741.
RED Nacional de PrevencióN Del Suicidio:
(888) 628-9454.
National Crisis text Hotline:
741741
Fort Lewis College Counseling Center:
247-7212.
Boys Town Hotline:
(800) 448-3000.
Safe2Tell Colorado:
(877) 542-7233 or online at
.
Colorado Crisis Support Line:
(844) 493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255 or online at
www.coloradocrisisservices.org
to access a live chat available in 17 languages. The line has mental-health professionals available to talk to adults or youths about any crisis, 24 hours a day.
DURANGO CARES:
To see a full list of resources available in La Plata County, visit
.
Trevor Project:
(866) 488-7386. Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth via online chat, text or phone.
Second Wind Fund:
(720) 962-0706. This is not a crisis hotline, but the fund is available to youths who face social or financial barriers to crisis counseling. The organization requires a referral by a school counselor or mental-health professional.
Survivors Support GrouP:
Heartbeat of Durango meets from 6 to 8 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month at the Grief Center, 2243 Main Ave., second floor. Contact Janna for information at 749-1673.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:
Colorado chapter information available at
https://afsp.org/chapter/afsp-colorado/
For Men:
A website for adult men contemplating suicide, who often are unwilling to seek help, is available at
.
