A three-vehicle collision Friday afternoon resulted in multiple injuries and shut down U.S. Highway 491 near County Road N.
Cortez and Lewis-Arriola firefighters, Colorado State Patrol troopers and multiple ambulances were called to the scene about 3:10 p.m. after a report of an accident involving three vehicles and several injured people. U.S. 491 was closed in both directions near the intersection by 3:20 p.m., and northbound traffic was diverted onto Lebanon Road.
Cortez Fire Protection District administrative assistant Wendy Mimiaga said all available personnel, including assistant fire chief Shawn Bittle, responded to the crash, which she said involved a head-on collision between two vehicles. Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin said two deputies responded to help with traffic control until state troopers could arrive.
Lewis-Arriola Fire Chief George Deavers said four people were transported to Southwest Memorial Hospital with broken bones and lacerations. One female patient was reportedly pinned inside her vehicle and had to be extricated. Although some of the injuries were serious, Deavers said, “nobody was critical.”
He said the collision occurred between an SUV and two pickups, one of which was hauling a trailer. All three cars were totaled. Deavers said it appeared that one of the vehicles had rear-ended another while it was trying to turn, pushing it into oncoming traffic. But he said responders are not yet certain what caused the accident.
