Man killed after car slides off road
Aspen Times Staff Writer
A 24-year-old man from Old Snowmass was killed in a rollover accident on Snowmass Creek Road Sunday night.
Eric Netzer was driving southbound on Snowmass Creek Road when he apparently missed a right curve in the road just before a bridge a mile south of Highway 82. According to the Colorado State Patrol, his car skidded off the left side of the road and hit a boulder before becoming airborne and landing upside down in Snowmass Creek.
Nearby residents called authorities after hearing the crash at 11:10 p.m., said Pitkin County Deputy John Armstrong. Basalt fire and rescue workers extricated Netzer from the car as a firetruck illuminated the scene, including skid marks where the car ran off the road.
The cause of death is still unknown; Netzer was wearing his seat belt and the driver-side air bag was deployed. Armstrong said there was water from the creek in the car, but it appeared as though Netzer was killed due to significant head injuries.
Armstrong said there is a sharp right-hand turn on the road in order to get onto the bridge.
Several attempts to resuscitate Netzer were made along the bank of the creek before he was transported to Aspen Valley Hospital and pronounced dead.
The state patrol is investigating the crash. “Excessive speed” has so far been given as one reason for the accident. The speed limit on Snowmass Creek Road is 35 mph.
Whether alcohol was a factor remains under investigation.
[Naomi Havlen’s e-mail address is nhavlen@aspentimes.com]
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