A motorcycle crash sent a man and a woman, both from Missouri, to the hospital Sunday morning, after they hit an elk in the 5000 block of U.S. Highway 160, west of Durango.

The woman was airlifted to Mercy Regional Health Center, and the man was taken by ground to Mercy after crews from several agencies responded to the call that came in about 8:30 a.m.

Cpl. Heather Cobler with the Colorado State Patrol said that according to a preliminary report, the motorcycle was traveling west when an elk entered the road from the right, and the motorcycle struck the animal.

Emergency Medical Services Capt. Dan Imming with the Durango Fire Protection District said an off-duty paramedic captain was first to respond to the scene.

“It was a two-person motorcycle accident,” Imming said. “One of our off-duty paramedic captains, Tom Walsh, was first on scene, and called and directed us and the helicopter.”

“The female was flown by Flight for Life, the more critical of the two, to Mercy,” Imming said.

Fort Lewis Mesa, Flight for Life, La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol and Durango Fire Protection District all responded. Names of the victims have not yet been released.

bmathis@durangoherald.com