Driver goes off Flagstaff Road and down a steep embankment

Boulder County, Colo. - The Boulder County Communications Center received a 911 call shortly before 10:00 a.m. from a family member who was concerned about the welfare of a family member. Using a phone based application, a family member believed they located the 49-year-old female’s cell phone and indicated that she was possibly in the Flagstaff Mountain area. First responders from multiple agencies responded to the area to search for her.

Two hikers on the Green Mountain Trail heard a vehicle go off the road near where they were hiking. They found the vehicle, with the driver partially ejected. Fortunately, one of the hikers was a nurse and the other was an EMT. They were able to assess her injuries and direct first responders to their location. The actions of those witnesses was instrumental in ensuring the victim was able to make it to a location where she could receive more advanced medical care.

Search and rescue conducted a technical evacuation and used a litter to get the female up the steep embankment. Over 20 rescue personnel worked for more than two hours to treat and safely evacuate the victim to an awaiting ambulance. Once at the ambulance she was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.

After the patient had been taken to the hospital, crews remained on scene to attempt the vehicle recovery. After a failed attempt, it was decided to cease the recovery operation. Due to the steep terrain and time of day, the vehicle was left in place until a safer solution could be found. Crews will reevaluate the situation and make arrangements to recover the vehicle at a later time.

Agencies responding to this incident included: Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, American Medical Response, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group and Boulder Fire Rescue.

The associated Boulder County Sheriff’s Office case number is: 19-5654.