Fatal accident is being investigated

TO UPDATE:

1:15 p.m. – The person killed in this morning’s crash is a 21-year-old man, according to Ouray County Coroner Glenn Boyd. The man’s name has not been released as authorities are still trying to contact next of kin.

An earlier version of this story was updated to indicate that the accident victim was a man, not a woman.

TO UPDATE:

10:10 a.m. – Both Highway 550 and County Road 17 are fully open to traffic.

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TO UPDATE:

8:05 a.m. – Both lanes of Highway 550 are back open, but County Road 17 remains closed. The Colorado State Patrol has determined that there was only one occupant of the vehicle, a Chevy sedan, recovered from the river this morning. The man’s identity has not yet been released because the Ouray County Coroner has not yet received notification of next of kin.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, the accident was reported at 4:41 a.m. by a passerby who saw taillights in the river.

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The Colorado State Patrol is investigating a fatal accident this morning involving an overturned vehicle in the Uncompahgre River north of Ouray.

CSP Sergeant Patrick Rice said the agency is still working to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident. The accident occurred near the intersection of County Road 17 and U.S. Highway 550, at the turnoff to the Whispering Pines neighborhood.

“Search and rescue has determined that there is at least one person in the vehicle,” Rice said.

According to Ouray County Sheriff’s Deputy Tammy Stroup, County Road 17 is closed at the intersection with the highway, and Highway 550 has one lane of alternating traffic at mile marker 96. The Colorado State Patrol will take over the accident investigation, but local law enforcement is securing the scene and assisting with traffic control.

Due to the closure, Ouray School is moving its class start time to 10:00 a.m.

There are no local diversions available for the route, so anyone who can avoid travelling in this area is asked to avoid the scene of the accident until the road is reopened.