DENVER – A Park County deputy who was severely injured following a head-on crash last week will remain hospitalized for an “undetermined amount of time,” Sheriff Tom McGraw said in a statement Thursday.
The deputy, who requested to remain anonymous, was dispatched to a domestic violence call on Highway 24 near Antero Reservoir on Aug. 20 just after 4:30 p.m. when he encountered a 46-year-old male driver reportedly fleeing the scene of the crime.
Investigators with the Colorado State Patrol said the suspect was driving on the opposite direction the deputy was headed when he swerved into oncoming traffic and crashed head on into the Park County Sheriff’s Chevrolet Tahoe.
The suspect, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle and sustained serious injuries. He was flown to St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood for treatment. The deputy was extricated from his vehicle and was also flown to the same hospital, CSP investigators said.
In a statement Thursday, Sheriff McGraw said the crash continues to be investigated “as an intentional act,” adding the impact was estimated at over 100 mph between the two vehicles, which were totaled following the crash.
McGraw said the deputy suffered a severely broken leg, a severely broken arm and severe bruising. He will remain hospitalized as he undergoes rehabilitation treatment.