A downpour sent water and debris crashing down the hillside near Milepost 41 on Highway 149 about 20 miles southwest of Creede on Wednesday, clogging a culvert and washing one vehicle off the road.

Terry Wetherill, Mineral County Emergency Manager, said a female passenger was stuck in the vehicle but was safely extracted by a fellow traveler. He said the culvert was repaired quickly by CDOT and the water drained from the road, but residual mud and debris remained on the surface of the highway, and caution was urged.

Reports indicate that some areas of Mineral County have received several inches of rain in the past few weeks.