NARRATIVE: DOUGLAS COUNTY, CO –Three adult males were rescued from their stranded vehicle just short of 21 hours after they called for help.
On May 11, 2023, shortly after 3:00 pm, Douglas Regional Dispatch Center received a call from a person stating he and two other adult males were stranded in a vehicle in the Pike National Forest. He said the car was stuck in the snow, and they just needed to be pulled out. They reported being about five miles north of the South County Line on Rampart Range Rd.
The deputy assigned to the district that covers that area was dispatched and, after two hours of searching, was able to locate the males in their vehicle at Rampart Range Rd and Fern Creek Rd. He tried to pull the car free but could not due to the amount of snow that had fallen and was continuing to fall. He decided to transport the men in his vehicle to the nearest town, Woodland Park. Due to the limited space in his truck, he could only transport one person at a time. After dropping off the first person, the deputy attempted to return to the other two occupants, but the snow had worsened so much he could not reach them in his vehicle.
Douglas County Search and Rescue was called in to assist as they have equipment that would allow them to reach the remaining motorists. DCSAR called El Paso County SAR to help as well, but due to the fast-moving snow, several trees had fallen over, blocking the road. The Douglas County Office of Emergency Management also responded to assist the other agencies. They all attempted throughout the night to reach the motorists, using chainsaws to cut the fallen trees over the road.
Around 5:30 this morning, the Air National Guard was called in to attempt an air rescue. Shortly before noon, the helicopter picked up the two remaining motorists and transported them to Centennial Airport, where they were taken to a local hospital to be checked out.
Sheriff Weekly expressed his gratitude for the efforts of all those involved in this very intense rescue, saying, “I am extremely proud of our first responders and all the other agencies that came together to save these individuals. Their actions and dedication to helping others is a testament to their commitment to our community.” #HonorServiceValor
