A 23-year-old man from Colorado Springs was killed Sunday in an ATV crash northeast of Silverton, according to the San Juan County’s Office of Emergency Management.
It is the first backcountry death of the summer season for the outdoor mecca 50 miles north of Durango, according to a news release.
The rollover crash was reported at 4:06 p.m. on County Road 2, near Animas Forks. The victim was a passenger on the ATV and was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, said DeAnne Gallegos, spokeswoman for the Office of Emergency Management.
The man died at the scene.
The county was not releasing the man’s identity or any information about the female driver of the ATV.
Gallegos said the ATV was traveling on a high alpine road in an area that is open to such activity. She cautioned people to be aware of the danger that can exist on jeep roads, where some shoulders or edges can be soft and give way to ATVs.
shane@durangoherald.com
