Hoosier Pass is closed in both directions until further notice after several Colorado law enforcement agencies pursued a wanted suspect in a car chase, which ended in a crash.
On Saturday afternoon, the Park County Sheriff’s Office, the Fairplay Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol followed the “armed and dangerous” suspect wanted out of Teller County, according to an alert posted on Facebook.
The chase occurred outside of Fairplay, with the suspect speeding north on Colorado 9 up the pass. The individual posed “a significant danger by nearly causing head-on collisions and forcing other vehicles off the road,” police report.
Law enforcement officials stopped their pursuit as a result. The suspect drove into Summit County then crashed near mile marker 83 in Blue River before reaching Breckenridge. The suspect was given medical attention afterward.
About 2 p.m., the Summit County Sheriff’s Office put out a wireless emergency alert directing Blue River residents to shelter in place, according to an incident update posted on Facebook by Sgt. Mike Schilling.
By 3:45 p.m., the highway had reopened, but it was closed again because a semitruck struck a power line, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office reported.
A 4 p.m. Facebook post by Blue River town officials announced an investigation into the incident, with a power pole in the road. Xcel was set to respond, and residents are advised against approaching the area.
Estimates by the town for road opening span at least four hours.