By Shannon Lukens. (Photos courtesy Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue)
A head-on accident sent one person to the hospital Sunday afternoon, and closed Hwy 40 just west of Steamboat Springs. Steamboat Police report that a hatchback SUV headed east between Elk River Road and 13th Street swerved into westbound traffic and hit a pick-up truck head on. The driver of the hatchback is from Steamboat Springs. He had to be extricated from the vehicle and was taken to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. The truck had Missouri plates and the two people in that vehicle had minor injuries. No tickets have been issued yet and no names have been released. Steamboat Police wants to remind everyone that this part of the road is a transition area and to please follow the speed limit.
Here is the full press release from Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue; Feb. 19, 2023.
Motor Vehicle Accident Dream Island and Highway 40
February 19, 2023
Alarm Type: Motor Vehicle Accident with Injuries
Dispatch time: 1612
On scene: 1616
Ambulance 6-2 enroute hospital 1658
In Service: 1756
Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue was dispatched to Highway 40 adjacent to Dream Island Trailer park for a 2 vehicle head on accident with 3 possible patients. Steamboat Fire Rescue responded with the entire on-duty crew (9 personnel) consisting of 3 ambulances (Ambulance 6-2, 6-3, 6-4) and Engine 6-2 and Chief on Call Doug Shaffer (Staff 6-3). Upon arrival SSFR personnel found that a full size truck and a sedan were involved in a head on collision. There was heavy damage to the sedan with the driver trapped in the vehicle requiring extrication. The driver of the sedan was considered the most critical and the first arriving ambulance crew focused on that pt.
Upon arrival of the second ambulance crew, Ambulance 6-3, the crew took out their Sawzall and started trying to cut out the quarter panel from the truck that had pierced the windshield of the sedan near the sedan patient’s head. Once Engine 6-2 and Ambulance 6-4 arrived from the Mountain station the Engine crew assisted Ambulance 6-3 with heavy extrication equipment “jaws of life” to cut the sedan away from the patient. Ambulance 6-4 began to assess the occupants of the truck who were deemed to have minor injuries and ultimately transported one of those parties to the hospital.
The occupant of the sedan required significant extrication and was removed from the vehicle and transported to the hospital 46 minutes after the Ambulance 6-2 arrived on scene. The patient was considered to have critical injuries and was transported to UC Health at Yampa Valley Medical Center.
Due to the size of the incident Highway 40 was shut down for the safety of the responders and parties involved during the incident. The cause of the accident is under investigation by Colorado State Patrol.
Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance: Routt County Communication Center, Steamboat Springs Police Department, and Colorado State Patrol. For further questions please contact Fire Marshall Doug Shaffer or Lt. Chris Welch at 970-879-7170.