A Jeep dropped more than 200 feet off U.S. Highway 550 near the Lime Creek horseshoe on Saturday resulting in a rescue, road closure and Flight For Life mission.
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call at 12:35 p.m. to find the driver in his late 30s or early 40s had a medical problem that forced him to swerve off the embankment.
San Juan County spokeswoman DeAnne Gallegos said the vehicle traveled about 210 to 240 feet down the embankment after leaving the road.
“We are not considering this as a motor vehicle accident at this time because the information currently available to us leads us to believe that this incident was caused after the driver apparently suffered a medical issue,” said San Juan County Undersheriff Steve Lowrence in a news release. “If we get information that disputes this we may reconsider the nature of this incident.”
Because it was not considered a motor vehicle crash, the Sheriff’s Office did not investigate further and could not specify the medical condition.
The Sheriff’s Office declined to identify the driver.
Gallegos said rescue teams from Silverton Medical Rescue, Silverton Volunteer Fire Department and Durango Fire Protection District assisted in a rope repel rescue mission to retrieve the driver about 1 p.m.
Colorado Department of Transportation as well as Colorado State Patrol also assisted. The highway was reduced to single-lane traffic for about 45 minutes while the rescue teams aided the driver.
He was then taken by a Flight For Life helicopter to Mercy Hospital. Gallegos said the driver survived the crash but did not have any further update on his medical condition as of Monday.
Gallegos said rescue teams benefited from other drivers calling in the crash as soon as they saw the car go off the road.
“Driving on these highway passes isn't just about weather. It's also about paying attention to other drivers,” Gallegos said. “And so this gentleman having a medical issue and going over the edge was something he had no control over. But when we're traveling over these mountain passes, you really have to be hyper aware of your surroundings.”
tbrown@durangoherald.com
