Pitkin County officials confirm death of man pulled from overturned vehicle in Fryingpan River Thursday
Scott Condon/The Aspen Times
The man extricated from the vehicle that missed a curve on Fryingpan Road on Thursday and landed upside down in the river died later that evening, the Pitkin County Coroner’s Office confirmed Sunday morning.
The man was Jose Gonzalez, 44, of Silt, a coroner’s office news release stated. He died Thursday evening at Aspen Valley Hospital, and the cause and manner of his death are pending autopsy results.
Just after 5 p.m. Thursday, Roaring Fork Fire Rescue Authority officials responded to the Fryingpan Road accident and discovered Gonzalez was pinned to the roof of his vehicle, which was resting on its top and partially submerged in the Fryingpan River, as previously reported.
Gonzalez was extricated from the vehicle and unresponsive at the scene, officials stated Thursday. CPR was performed on him on the ambulance en route to Aspen Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead Thursday evening, Deputy Coroner Eric Hansen said Sunday.
Hansen also said the passenger of the vehicle was not treated at the hospital and did not suffer any major injuries.
The accident occurred about 2 miles east of Basalt where the road curves to the left. The vehicle reportedly went off the roadway just shy of the guardrails where the corner sharpens, went down the embankment at an angle and landed upside down in the river.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
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