One man dead, numerous rescue calls during first rifle season
MEEKER — During the first rifle season, one hunter died as emergency responders went on a number of backcountry rescue deployments Oct. 12 through 17.
Oct. 12: A 61-year-old man from Tennessee was bucked off a horse, suffering a possible left hip fracture, in the Jensen Wildlife area near mile marker 55 on Colorado Highway 13. Meeker Fire/Rescue responded and, upon further evaluation, decided the best extraction method would be with flight. Classic Air Medical transported the patient to St Mary’s in Grand Junction. No information is available on his condition.
Oct. 13: A 41-year-old man from Morrison was reported as a possible missing person while hunting in the Dead Horse Loop area. The man had told his family the general area in which he planned to hunt, but they were uncertain as to where he was camped. Before further information could be obtained, the family called again and stated they had located him.
Oct. 14: A 54-year-old Arkansas man was bucked off a horse while riding on Routt Forest Service Road 1172, also known as Transfer Trail. After the incident, he complained of shoulder and chest injuries. Meeker Fire/Rescue was called to respond, but through a mutual aid agreement with Routt County — which has a quicker response time for the remote area — Routt County Search and Rescue responded. The injured man would normally have been accessible only by horse. To avoid the extended time for riders to respond, and overcome limited access by other means, Classic Air Medical arrived and transported the patient to St. Mary’s in Grand Junction. No information is available on his condition.
Oct. 15: A 55-year-old Alabama man called from the Wilson Mesa area around Rio Blanco County Road 53 complaining of chest pain. The call came in through Colorado State Patrol. As the location was near the Moffat/Rio Blanco county line, Moffat County Search and Rescue responded, along with Classic Air Medical. Witnesses at the scene reported the man had lost consciousness, was not breathing, and did not have a pulse. CSP guided people on scene through CPR. Classic Air Medical arrived. The man was pronounced dead and transported to Pioneers Medical Center for examination by the Rio Blanco County coroner. Neither the man’s name nor circumstances that might have contributed to his death have been released.
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