Boulder County employee dies following fall at Heil Valley Ranch
By John Bear
Updated: 05/10/2018 09:55:04 PM MDT
The Picture Rock Trailhead sign is seen off of Red Gulch Road at Heil Valley Ranch near Lyons in 2017. (Matthew Jonas / Staff Photographer)
Investigators believe that a 29-year-old Boulder County employee working at Heil Valley Ranch near Lyons on Thursday morning tripped and fell down a trail, sustaining a fatal head injury in the process.
The man, who has not been publicly identified pending notification of his family, was working for Boulder County Parks and Open Space on Thursday, but didn't return to the trailhead from a worksite, according to a news release from the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff's office spokeswoman Carrie Haverfield said in an email that the man was a county employee.
Rescue volunteers responded to the area after the man was reported missing shortly after 11 a.m., but the man's coworker found him unresponsive about three quarters of a mile up from the trailhead near the quarry.
Lifesaving measures were attempted, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene after more than 30 minutes of resuscitation was applied.
Investigation revealed that the man was hiking down the trail when he slipped, fell and suffered head trauma. His death is believed to be accidental, and no foul play is suspected.
The Boulder County Coroner's Office will make the official ruling on the cause and manner of death.
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29-year-old male dies while working at Heil Valley
Boulder County, Colo. - At approximately 11:06 A.M. today, the Boulder County
Communications Center received a call reporting that a person working with
Boulder County Parks and Open Space at Heil Valley Ranch didn’t return to the
trailhead as expected from a worksite.
Communications Center received a call reporting that a person working with
Boulder County Parks and Open Space at Heil Valley Ranch didn’t return to the
trailhead as expected from a worksite.
First responders and search and rescue volunteers were
dispatched and co-workers began searching for the missing employee, a
29-year-old male. The employee was located by a co-worker approximately ¾ of a
mile up from the trailhead near the quarry. He was found unresponsive and life
saving measures, including CPR began immediately. He was pronounced dead on-scene
after over 30 minutes of resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. It is
believed he was hiking back down to the trailhead and tripped, fell and sustained
head trauma. At this time, it is believed this was an accidental death, no foul
play is suspected.
dispatched and co-workers began searching for the missing employee, a
29-year-old male. The employee was located by a co-worker approximately ¾ of a
mile up from the trailhead near the quarry. He was found unresponsive and life
saving measures, including CPR began immediately. He was pronounced dead on-scene
after over 30 minutes of resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. It is
believed he was hiking back down to the trailhead and tripped, fell and sustained
head trauma. At this time, it is believed this was an accidental death, no foul
play is suspected.
Agencies that responded to the scene were: Boulder County
Sheriff’s Office, Boulder County Parks and Open Space, Rocky Mountain Rescue,
Lefthand Fire Protection District, North Colorado Med Evac and AMR ambulance.
Sheriff’s Office, Boulder County Parks and Open Space, Rocky Mountain Rescue,
Lefthand Fire Protection District, North Colorado Med Evac and AMR ambulance.
Detectives from the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and
investigators from the Boulder County Coroner’s Office are investigating. The
identity of the victim will not be released until family members have been
notified. The cause and manner of death will be determined by the Coroner’s
Office.
investigators from the Boulder County Coroner’s Office are investigating. The
identity of the victim will not be released until family members have been
notified. The cause and manner of death will be determined by the Coroner’s
Office.
The associated case number is: 18-2633.