OURAY COUNTY, Colo. — One person died and two were injured after a crash Monday on Highway 550 in southwest Colorado, just south of Ridgway.
Colorado State Patrol (CSP), which investigated the crash, determined that the driver of a Dodge Caravan had been headed westbound around the same time that the driver of a Ford F350, which was pulling a gooseneck flatbed trailer, was traveling eastbound.
According to CSP's preliminary investigation, around 5:33 p.m., the Dodge drifted over the center line into the eastbound lanes. The driver of the Ford, attempting to avoid a crash, steered to the right but the Dodge's front left corner hit part of the flatbed trailer.
This happened at milepost 103, which is about one mile south of Ridgway.
The Dodge went off the westbound shoulder and crashed into a ditch. The 34-year-old driver was pronounced deceased at the scene. A 12-year-old passenger was transported to a hospital by air ambulance. A ground ambulance also brought a 74-year-old passenger to a hospital. Both of them were seriously injured, CSP said.
The Ford 350 stayed on the road, coming to a halt and blocking the eastbound lane. The pickup truck's trailer also detached and ended up in the ditch. Nobody in the Ford was injured, CSP said.
CSP said it found that the Dodge did not have a rear seat and none of the people inside were wearing seatbelts.
Highway 550 was closed for more than five hours in both directions as emergency personnel worked around the scene.
The cause of the crash is not yet known. While a segment of Highway 550 farther to the south — called the Million Dollar Highway — has been called one of the most dangerous roads in North America due to its tight curves, lack of guardrails and narrow lanes, the location of this crash was several miles north of that section.
The Colorado State Patrol Vehicular Crimes Unit is leading this investigation. No other details are available.
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