Boulder,CO : Semi crashes into water-filled ditch off U.S. 287 north of Longmont on July, Thursday 6th 2017

Boulder County resident Chris Rusk was working on a fence with another man on Thursday evening when the two heard what he described as a "big loud bang."

"We saw the semi go through my mailbox, come down in the ditch," Chris Rusk said. "It never hit the brakes and never slowed down. It went through the fence full tilt probably 70 miles per hour into a tree and the ditch."

Colorado State Patrol Trooper Josh Lewis said the 33-year-old driver crashed off the west side of U.S. 287, which prompted the closure of the road between Vermillion Road and Yellowstone Road.

Vehicle traffic could be seen spiraling out into side streets in the sparsely populated area of northern Boulder County. All but one southbound lane had been reopened as of 8 p.m.

The drive of a semi truck is loaded into an ambulance after Thursday crash north of Longmont.
The drive of a semi truck is loaded into an ambulance after Thursday's crash north of Longmont. (Lewis Geyer/Staff Photographer)
Rusk said he and the other man, who he identified as Mitch, ran down to the truck, but the driver's side of the cab was smashed, so Rusk went into the water and climbed into the cab through the passenger side.

Rusk said the driver was unconscious with his head down, so he kept the man's head steady so he wouldn't be injured further. Rusk added that he works part time for Northside Towing, which responded to remove the truck from the ditch on Thursday evening.

"It probably took him about 10 to 15 minutes to regain consciousness and tell me his name," Rusk said. "It still took up to the time we removed him from the truck to remember what his birthday was."


Lewis said that the driver was taken to Longmont United Hospital with minor injuries, although at one point personnel called for a medical helicopter to respond. He did not have any information on the circumstances that led to the crash but said drugs and alcohol do not appear to be factors.

He added that a heavy wrecker as well as a hazardous materials team were called to the scene because the truck landed in running water.

Source :
Semi crashes into water-filled ditch off U.S. 287 north of Longmont