A vehicle went crashing an estimated 750 feet off of Highway 6 on Saturday evening, leaving the seriously injured driver stranded in the middle of the Eagle River, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

Multiple first responders rushed to the scene of the crash after receiving a report around 4:32 p.m that a vehicle plunged into the Eagle River off US Highway 6 and Stone Creek Road. The male driver in his early 30s exited the vehicle on his own but was unable to cross the river due to the extent of his injuries.

The driver reportedly crashed through a wooden fence between the highway and the EagleVail Golf Club before landing on its passenger side in the middle of the Eagle River. The map included below shows the location of the EagleVail Golf Club.

The driver, who was the only occupant of the 2006 Lexus, was carried up the river bank on a Stokes basket by firefighters in drysuits. He was later transferred to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. The speed the vehicle was traveling remains unknown. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Colorado State Patrol.

Crews cleared the scene of the crash by 5:45 p.m. The vehicle requiring extrication was left in the river overnight until the very next morning due to safety concerns related to operating in the dark.

Editor’s Note: Here’s a  quick piece regarding why we’ve decided to include accident and death coverage in our collection of content. 

Thanks goes out to all the first responders including Engine 5, Engine 12, Engine 7, Battalion 12, the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle County Paramedic Services, the Colorado State Patrol, and Vail Public Safety Communications Center.