An 83-year-old New Mexico man died this weekend after his vehicle went off a mountainous road outside Silverton.
Colorado State Patrol Capt. Adrian Driscoll identified the deceased man as Roland Keeter of Flora Vista.
Driscoll said Keeter’s 1984 Jeep CJ-5 on Saturday morning left the roadway near the junction of county roads 33 and 33a, the route that goes up Kendall Mountain and turns off to access Deer Park.
The Jeep rolled backward 1½ times and ejected Keeter. Driscoll said the vehicle came to rest at the bottom of a creek, with Keeter beneath it.
Keeter was alone at the time of the crash. Authorities received a report about the incident from a passerby around 7:55 a.m. Saturday.
Driscoll said the crash is under investigation, but alcohol and drugs are not suspected factors. He did not have further information.
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office said in a post to social media San Juan County Search and Rescue, Silverton Fire, the Sheriff’s Office and Animas Towing all assisted Colorado State Patrol.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
