News Flash

9/28/2014

NATURE OF INCIDENT: Accidental death

LOCATION OF OCCURANCE: Bittercreek Wash approximately 2 ¼ miles west of Colorado border.
NAME: Susan Parker 57 Palisade, Colorado

On Sunday, September 28, 2014 at approximately 12:00(noon) a jeep attempted to cross the Bittercreek drainage approximately 2 ¼ miles west from the Colorado border in Grand County, Utah. The jeep was swept downstream and overturned, trapping the passenger inside the jeep. The vehicle was swept downstream approximately 200 feet before it came to a stop. The driver was able to reach the bank and started walking out of the area for help. He made contact with mountain bikers in the area and they were able to call for assistance. Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, BLM Rangers and additional search and rescue and medical personnel responded to the area of the Rabbit Valley exit at mile marker 2 adjacent to I-70 where they staged for the incident. Grand County Sheriff’s Office was notified when it was confirmed that the accident had occurred in Grand County, Utah. Rescuers were able to winch the jeep out of the wash. The passenger was inside the jeep when it was winched from the wash. The decedent was transported to Spanish Valley Mortuary in Moab and will be transported to the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office in Salt Lake City. The driver of the vehicle did not sustain any serious injuries from the accident. The area of the accident had received significant amounts of rainfall and the washes in the area were unpredictable as to rate of flow and depth.