Separate crashes on county roads claim lives of two travelers

by Bill Boyle
San Juan Record Editor
Separate crashes claimed two lives on San Juan County roads on May 8. Both single-car crashes resulted in the driver being thrown from the vehicle and dying at the scene of the crash.
At around 2 p.m., 71-year-old Bruce Griffith of Copper Mountain, Colorado, was killed leaving Canyonlands National Park when his northbound motorcycle left the roadway on a straightaway and crashed on Island in the Sky Road near a northern entrance to the park. He was thrown from the motorcycle and seriously injured.
National Park Rangers were first on scene and attempted life saving measures on Griffith who unfortunately, passed away from his injuries on scene.
A San Juan County Sheriff Deputy responded to the scene and led the investigation, even though San Juan County manages less than one half mile of the road into the Island in the Sky district.
Less than an hour later, a woman was killed when her vehicle left the roadway and hit the guard rail at a high rate of speed while traveling northbound on the Lisbon Valley Mine Road near the Lisbon Valley Mine. The woman was thrown from the vehicle and suffered serious injuries.
An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) from the mine was first on the scene and attempted life saving measures, but the woman from the Four Corners region passed away on the scene from her injuries.
An investigation continues into the Lisbon Valley crash. Law enforcement states that alcohol may have been a factor.
The name, age and hometown of the two victims has yet to be released.
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office offers condolences to the families involved and thanks everyone who assisted in both of these incidents, including the Utah Highway Patrol, National Park Service, the EMT from Libson Valley Mine, La Sal Fire Department, La Sal EMS, Monticello EMS, and San Juan County Sheriff Deputies.
The Sheriff’s Office also reminds everyone who is driving around in the county to please drive carefully.
Sheriff’s Deputy Colby Turk said with the warmer weather there is an increased number of people on the roads going from point A to point B. They remind everyone to wear seatbelts, obey the speed limits, and not to drink and drive. Most crashes could be avoided if people followed those three simple rules.