Dillon Reservoir rescues, short-term rental squatters, a high-speed chase, overnight rescue and more, according to Sheriff’s Office

Helen Rowe/Summit County Rescue Group
Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies last week cited or gave warnings to at least 10 people for not wearing personal floatation devices, found people staying in a short-term rental without permission and assisted a woman after she fell off a truck camper while dancing.
The following incidents occurred between Monday, June 16, and Sunday, June 22, according to the weekly log of notable calls published by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to two search-and-rescue incidents Monday with Summit County Rescue Group. One involved a man who could not get his vehicle unstuck from a patch of snow near Hoosier Pass and called for help after he started feeling ill. The other involved a woman hiking near Silverthorne who fell and broke her ankle. Both people were extracted from the backcountry safely and transferred to the hospital by ambulances.
Also Monday, a man exited his vehicle on Boreas Pass Road without first putting it in park. The car, left in neutral, rolled downhill and over a guardrail, eventually getting stuck in some trees.
A man Tuesday received a WhatsApp message saying he won a gift and provided instructions to redeem it. It included contact information for people who claimed to represent the organization giving out the award, but it was a scam. The man paid the scammers $2,400 using gift cards, so deputies filed a report.
A Tuesday storm caused 40-60 mph wind gusts and 4-foot waves on Dillon Reservoir, causing a pontoon boat to take on water. Dispatch told deputies the boat flipped over as well, but when they found the boat, it was still upright. Its occupants were wearing personal floatation devices, and deputies gave children on board blankets to stay warm. They took the kids to the Dillon Marina as the storm subsided then returned to the pontoon. A rescue boat from the Frisco Marina helped transport the remaining adults, and once reunited, the group confirmed they had no injuries.
Deputies responded Tuesday to a report from a neighbor of a short-term rental that people were staying in the unit when it was supposed to be empty. When deputies arrived, they found signs of occupancy but got no response when they knocked on the door and announced their presence. The owner gave permission for deputies to enter, and they found two suspects hiding in an upstairs closet. One suspect had a code to access the unit from when they did maintenance a year ago, and they both admitted to staying there for a few days without permission. Deputies took them into custody on charges including burglary and tampering and notified the homeowner of the situation.
At a campground near the Green Mountain Reservoir on Tuesday, a camper was dancing on the roof of a truck camper and fell off. She lost consciousness but regained it before first responders arrived. She told responders she had back pain, and an ambulance took her to the hospital. Deputies interviewed others on the scene and took a report.
Also Tuesday, a camp host at a Dillon Reservoir site reported campers cutting down green trees for firewood. The host tried talking to them, but they denied wrongdoing. Deputies arrived and reminded them of the rules about tree cutting, and the campers apologized and agreed to follow regulations. Deputies gave them a warning.
The Dillon Reservoir was busy Thursday, and deputies gave two citations and two warnings to people not wearing personal floatation devices. They also saw two teenage boys who strapped their stand-up paddleboards together and attached an electric motor. Deputies warned the boys and told them about reservoir rules.
Deputies responded with Summit County Rescue Group to a call Thursday about a father and son stranded on Quandary Peak’s west ridge. Rescuers located the pair and got to them just before midnight, giving them extra food, water and clothing. They stayed with the father and son overnight in a makeshift shelter, then in the morning a helicopter extracted the pair. Rescuers hiked down the mountain Friday morning, completing a mission that lasted over 15 hours and involved no injuries.
A deputy saw a sports car Saturday driving 73 mph on a part of Highway 9 with a speed limit of 50 mph. The deputy turned on their lights, but the vehicle sped up, topping 100 mph. The driver pulled over, ditched the car and ran on foot. The deputy caught the driver, detained him and put him under arrest. The driver’s blood alcohol level was over the legal limit to drive, and he was taken to the Summit County Jail on charges including DUI, vehicular eluding and speeding.
Deputies received a report Sunday about an intoxicated bus passenger who was injured and refusing to exit the bus. They contacted the man and got him a medical evaluation. He denied ambulance transport and agreed to leave the bus. Deputies found nothing criminal in the situation.
Also Sunday, deputies issued more citations and warnings at the Dillon Reservoir for people not wearing personal floatation devices while stand-up paddle boarding. A family of four with two children received a citation, and deputies found two people wearing “fake” life jackets purchased on Amazon that would not prevent drowning. Others did not know life jackets were required, and some had left them in their cars. Deputies also towed a disabled sailboat to shore and issued warnings to a group of six people using prohibited motorized bikes, skateboards and a single-wheeled board on the recreation path.

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