DALLAS DIVIDE – Emergency services were responded to a single car rollover accident at mile marker 13 on Hwy. 62 at the top of Dallas Divide at 6:27 a.m. on Sept 25. The female driver of a large sedan apparently fell asleep at the wheel while driving eastbound at a high rate of speed. When her car drifted off the right shoulder of the road, she awoke and in an effort to bring her vehicle back onto the roadway, over corrected.

Her vehicle shot across the roadway towards a 10- to 12-foot deep drainage ditch. As the vehicle approached the ditch, it struck a large rock, went airborne and sailed across the 20 plus foot wide ditch striking the far side and then rolling over at least one full rotation, coming to rest on its tires.

The driver, who fortunately was wearing her seat belt, came to rest in the passenger foot area of her car. First arriving rescuers from the Ridgway Fire Department, Ouray County EMS's Ridgway Ambulance and Squad 11 were unable to initially gain access to the patient because of the vehicle's electronic door locks. After locating and disconnecting the battery, which turned out to be in the vehicle's trunk, the doors were easily opened.

The combined rescue crews, along with the Ouray County Sheriff were able to quickly package the patient and carry her up the embankment to the awaiting ambulance where she was reexamined and transported to Montrose Memorial Hospital in stable condition.