Representatives of the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office announced today that a woman in her mid-to-late 50s drove off of Highway 145, close to Norwood Hill, on Monday evening, Aug. 26, in a U-Haul truck.
It was later announced the exact location was approximately three miles south of the bottom of Norwood Hill and one mile south of Beaver Creek Park.
The incident was reported at 7 a.m. today, Tuesday, Aug. 27. Norwood Fire Chief John Bockrath told the San Miguel Basin Forum it was a driver of a Bruin Waste truck that first spotted the crash and called it in. As it so happened, Bockrath was right behind the Bruin truck on his way to Telluride. Coincidentally, Tom Meehan, longtime firefighter and EMS first-responder, was also right behind Bockrath on the highway in his personal truck.
What followed was a lengthy rescue in the San Miguel Canyon, according to the Norwood Fire Chief.
“(Meehan and I) both went down the bank and checked for victims,” Bockrath said. “We found one woman trapped inside the cab with multiple injuries. I called for my crew, Norwood Fire, (and) Telluride Fire and Search and Rescue. Tom and I were able to gain access to the patient from the driver’s window and began treating her injuries.”
Bockrath said it took approximately an hour and a half to extricate the victim and get her up to the ambulance.
At 8 a.m. there were traffic control measures and delays for the public on the highway.
With emergency vehicles on the side of the road, the patient was assessed.
“She was then flown to St. Mary's by CareFlight. Patient had numerous internal injuries and was treated on scene very aggressively by Tom and me,” Bockrath said.
Responding to the incident were also sheriff’s deputies, the state patrol and also officials from CDOT.
It was later determined that the woman lost control Monday, Aug. 26, around 9 p.m. and went off the highway at mile marker 92.5, rolled a couple of times and landed on the bank of the San Miguel River.
Bockrath confirmed the back of the rental truck was in the water.
The San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office was updating the public on social media, and many were worried the morning of Aug. 27 for the driver. Several community members posted comments thanking first-responders for their work in saving lives.
County representatives said technical rope rescue and extrication were required in the rescue. They added the patient did have serious injuries, but those were believed to be non-life threatening as of press time.
By 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27, both lanes of traffic were open to the public. The county thanked all for their patience.
“The extrication and safety of the patient was all done by the teamwork of Norwood, Telluride and Search and Rescue,” Bockrath told the Forum Monday. “Everyone worked very hard and well together.”
Sadly, the patient did have two cats with her that were nowhere to be found as of press time.
