The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office and Colorado State Patrol responded to a single-vehicle accident that closed traffic in both directions in the 36000 block of U.S. Highway 550 north of Hermosa on Saturday night.
State Trooper Robert Howell said a man was traveling south in his Chevrolet SUV at about 5:30 p.m. when he drove off the highway and 60 feet up a hillside, crashing through a fence and hitting a tree about 80 feet away from the road.
The man was transported to Mercy Regional Medical Center, but the extent of his injuries was unknown as of 6:45 p.m.
North- and southbound traffic briefly was blocked in order to allow emergency medical units access, then traffic moved in alternate lanes before the highway was reopened shortly after, Sgt. Sam Egglesdon with the Sheriff’s Office said.
