Colorado driver walks away from dangerous 300-foot highway crash with minor injuries: 'A miracle'
Share and Follow

A driver remarkably emerged with only minor injuries after their vehicle plummeted 300 feet off a Colorado highway, officials confirmed.

The incident occurred on October 9 along U.S. Highway 550 in Ouray, as reported by the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team in a Facebook statement.

At approximately 12:20 p.m., emergency crews responded to a call about a pickup truck that had fallen into the Uncompahgre River Gorge from the highway.

Teams from Ouray County EMS, the Ouray Volunteer Fire Department, and the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team collaborated to create a rope system, allowing rescuers to safely descend to the crash site and reach the vehicle’s sole occupant.

crumpled wreckage of the pickup truck on the side of the mountain

The dramatic accident involved a pickup truck that veered off U.S. Highway 550 on Thursday, October 9, in Ouray, Colorado, plunging 300 feet. (Image courtesy of Ouray Mountain Rescue Team, Inc.)

Officials said the driver sustained minor injuries. 

The rescue team shared photos of the mangled vehicle and the driver walking up the steep ledge with assistance from a rescuer to return to the highway.

Driver and rescuer walking up ledge

Rescuers said the driver walked away from the wreck with only minor injuries. (Ouray Mountain Rescue Team, Inc. )

“Glad he’s not hurt very bad,” one person wrote in response to the rescue team’s post on Facebook. “Time to buy a lottery ticket.”

“Minor injuries after this? WOW! Seems like a miracle,” another wrote.

rescuers on the highway performing a technical rope rescue

Rescuers set up a technical rope system to rappel down to the driver, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle. (Ouray Mountain Rescue Team, Inc. )

U.S. Highway 550, known as the “Million Dollar Highway,” is “a scenic and treacherous mountain road” that is popular among adventure seekers, road trippers and outdoor enthusiasts, according to the town of Ouray’s tourism webpage.

The 25-mile stretch of roadway, however, has earned a reputation as one of the “most dangerous roads in America” due to narrow lanes, sharp turns and lack of a guardrail between the roadway and steep ledge, the site says.

“Though it is labeled as one of the most dangerous roads in the United States, if you stick to the speed limit, stay within the lines, and be aware of your surroundings you will travel just fine,” the page reads. “Campers, Semi-Trucks, and trucks with trailers travel this road frequently.”

The highway was the site of two fatal crashes over the summer, local outlet KKTV reported.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Trump confirms CIA authorization for operations in Venezuela

Trump Reveals CIA’s Green Light for Venezuela Operations

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he has given the green…
everything to know about pneumonia

Unlocking the Secrets of Pneumonia: Essential Insights for Prevention and Treatment

Renowned Hollywood actress Diane Keaton has passed away following a struggle with…
FILE - This Aug. 3, 2017, photo provided by the Mississippi Department of Corrections shows Mississippi death row inmate Charles Ray Crawford. (Mississippi Department of Corrections via AP, file)

Mississippi Executes Convicted Killer: Justice Served After College Student’s Tragic Death

PARCHMAN, Miss. (AP) — On Wednesday, the state of Mississippi carried out…
Putnam County sex offender convicted of capital sexual battery, sentenced to life in prison

Putnam County Offender Receives Life Sentence for Capital Sexual Battery Conviction

PALATKA, Fla. — In a significant legal verdict, a man from Putnam…
Murderer's final words and hearty last meal as he's executed

Convicted Murderer’s Emotional Final Words and Unusual Last Meal Highlight Execution Day

A Mississippi man condemned for the rape and murder of a college…
College anti-Israel group calls for death to all Zionist 'collaborators' in Gaza

Controversial College Group Sparks Outrage with Call for Violence Against Zionist ‘Collaborators’ in Gaza

An organization known as Students for Justice in Palestine, which operates on…
Blue city street takeover suspects torched police cruiser in 'hell-bent' attack on cops: union chief

Governor of a Democratic State Commits to Strict Measures Against Street Takeovers Following Violent Assault on Law Enforcement

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced that authorities issued over 232 civil citations…
FILE - People walk through University of North Carolina campus March 18, 2020, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

Are College Degrees Worth the Investment? Universities Demonstrate Their Value

WASHINGTON (AP) — For many young Americans today, the decision of whether…