Truck stops short of collapsed Colorado bridge after ignoring flood roadblock

A truck driver in south-west Colorado ignored a roadblock and patrol officers’ warnings, then stopped just short of the broken edge of a bridge that had collapsed in severe flooding. The incident, captured in video shared by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), shows the risks of disregarding closures during rapidly changing flood conditions.

The San Juan River Bridge on US Highway 160 near Pagosa Springs has been closed since 24 October, with no reopening date set because repairs depend on river flows and weather. Flooding has caused major road closures and disrupted power and communications; the Animas River reached 13,000 cubic feet per second, its highest level since 1911 and second-highest on record. CPW also warned people to avoid floodwater contaminated by spills and damaged sewage treatment plants.