Accidents attributed to icy road
Sheriff’s Office vehicle rolls while responding to earlier rollover
Emergency responders pull a victim from the scene of an accident Tuesday afternoon on the Colorado Highway 13 bypass, about a mile west of Colo. 13. A Jeep Liberty left the right side of the roadway and landed on its top in a ravine. Moffat County Sheriff’s Office deputies responding to the scene then got into a similar accident. The Colorado State Patrol is investigating. Enlarge photo
January 9, 2008
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Craig — The Colorado State Patrol is investigating a Tuesday afternoon accident involving a Moffat County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.
The Sheriff’s Office vehicle, a Ford Expedition, rolled 1 1/2 times at 3:26 p.m. on the Colorado Highway 13 bypass, about a mile west of Colo. 13, the State Patrol reported.
Deputy Ryan Hess, who was driving, and Sgt. Courtland Folks were responding to the scene of a one-car accident reported minutes earlier, Moffat County Sheriff Tim Jantz said.
The earlier accident involved a Jeep Liberty.
The Jeep Liberty hit a patch of ice, left the right side of the roadway and landed on its top. It is believed the same circumstances befell the Sheriff’s Office vehicle, the State Patrol reported.
“It actually rolled and came to a rest next to the Jeep Liberty,” State Patrol Capt. Brett Williams said.
Neither Hess nor Folks were transported to The Memorial Hospital. Two other people at the scene were transported to the hospital, TMH spokeswoman Samantha Johnston said, one of whom has been released.
Patient privacy laws prohibit hospital officials from releasing the names of the two people transported to TMH or the remaining patient’s condition.
Williams said it’s too early to tell whether anyone was at fault in the accidents. An investigation will determine the facts and whether anyone is ticketed, he said.
“The road right there was pretty icy,” Williams said. “But, it is Colorado, and you always have to drive at a safe speed for your car.”
Jantz witnessed the accident involving his deputy. He was driving to the initial accident, in front of Hess and Folks, and watched as the vehicle rolled over.
“I know there was ice on the roadway,” the sheriff said.
He added that he was relieved there were no other injuries to people or deputies at the scene.
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9 January 2008 at 9:48 p.m.
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craigsmike (Anonymous) says…
Now I understand why the Sheriff thought it justifiable to shut off traffic on the bypass for three hours Tuesday. What I do not understand is the Highway patrol's reluctance to go ahead and cite both drivers for driving too fast for conditions. I really do not want to think what I am thinking.
14 January 2008 at 3:34 p.m.
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SamanthaJohnston (Samantha Johnston) says…
Native and craigsmike:
I hope that you both take the time to get the facts about this particular situation. I think you will find that you have made judgments prematurely.
14 January 2008 at 8:31 p.m.
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grannyrett (Anonymous) says…
I agree with you Sam. It seems as if people are just trying to find corruption everywhere they look. The deputies were going to help someone. It is their job. If it were me in that accident-and I have been, I want them to get there as fast as they can.
16 January 2008 at 8:48 p.m.
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jdsd00 (Anonymous) says…
Native, how does crow taste?
17 January 2008 at 1:41 p.m.
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SamanthaJohnston (Samantha Johnston) says…
native:
Apparently you missed the newspaper article on Tuesday that stated that the deputy was given a careless driving citation, as was the driver of the other vehicle.
17 January 2008 at 8:36 p.m.
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jdsd00 (Anonymous) says…
Native,
So instead of you being dead wrong you are going to pass this off as us missing your point? Typical