Vehicle Accident - 06/15/09 - Archuleta County, CO

What started out as a police pursuit in LaPlata County ended in a roll-over accident over the Archuleta County line. On June 15th, 2009, shortly before 1700 hours Bayfield Town Marshals were attempting to stop a suspected drunk driver when they were led on a chase along eastbound US Highway 160. The Bayfield Marshals were preparing to hand the pursuit over to Archuleta County deputies, and the Colorado State Patrol was get ready to deploy spike strips as the chase was heading towards Pagosa. Shortly afterwards the feeing vehicle crashed at the 117 mile marker.

The accident caused the vehicle to come to rest on its roof at the bottom of an embankment just off the shoulder of the highway, pinning the driver inside the motor vehicle. The Pagosa Fire District and Upper San Juan EMS Medics were immediately dispatched to the incident. Due to the mechanism of injury and the possibility of a prolonged extrication, Care Flight 3 - the medic helicopter out of Durango, was requested to launch. Fire and EMS units arrived to find the patient heavily trapped in the automobile.

Facing a difficult rescue, units from the Upper Pine Fire District in Bayfield were called for Mutual Aid. All three emergency service organizations worked together to open up the vehicle and carry the patient up the embankment to the waiting helicopter. The patient was flown to Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango. The accident is being investigated by the Colorado State Patrol.