A semitrailer overturned along U.S. Highway 160/491 Wednesday afternoon, creating long lines traffic in both directions just north of Towaoc.
The crash, around mile marker 30, happened at about 5:08 p.m., according to Cortez Fire Chief Jay Balfour, who was on-scene for more than an hour.
The truck driver, coming from North Dakota, was the lone passenger, and he was uninjured, Balfour said.
The cause of the accident is under investigation, although the driver believes it happened because of a mechanical failure, according to Cpl. James Proctor with the Colorado State Patrol.
When the truck overturned, it fell onto a power line, which provides power to Towaoc, said Grant Roe with the Empire Electric Association, who was also on scene.
While he believed that Towaoc remained unaffected, Empire Electric was working to switch power to the line on the other side of the street, so that they could shut power to the affected line and then move the semi, Roe said.
ealvero@the-journal.com
