Four escape serious injury after SUV does nose

Jul 13, 2023

A silver SUV traveling on U.S. Highway 550 just north of Durango city limits ran off the side of the road and came to rest against a fence with its hood down and rear-end facing up.

The crash occurred about 3:30 p.m. Thursday in the 5800 block of Main Avenue just north of the Red Cliff apartments, said Michael Krupa, deputy fire chief-operations with the Durango Fire Protection District.

Four people were inside the SUV, but only one was taken to the hospital in stable condition. The other three refused transport, Krupa said.

Krupa said the vehicle sustained heavy damage.

A DFPD brush truck happened to be driving by and was one of the first on scene. Firefighters used ladders to help the occupants exit while stabilizing the vehicle to prevent it from falling from its unusual position, Krupa said.

The vehicle came to rest against a tree and corrugated metal fence.

“Basically, the car is on its nose up against a corrugated metal fence,” Krupa said. “So it went through the fence and is basically on its nose up against the damaged fence and some trees behind it with the rear-end of the vehicle up in the air.”

The driver, who received minor injuries, is suspected of falling asleep at the wheel, said Colorado State Patrol Capt. John Trentini. Neither drugs nor alcohol is suspected, but he noted the crash remains under investigation.

The vehicle appeared to be headed southbound when it drifted across the northbound lane and went off the east side of the highway. The vehicle had California license plates.

“With the assistance of the fire department placing a ladder against the truck they (the occupants) were able to climb out and down the ladder out of the vehicle themselves while we performed some stabilization of the vehicle so it didn’t fall over during that,” Krupa said.

[email protected]