Jeep recovered after tumble off cliff that killed tour driver, 2 Arizona women

A 2022 Jeep Gladiator was lifted by a heavy duty tow truck from the canyon floor back to Camp Bird Road on Tuesday afternoon, the day after it slid from the road in an accident that killed its local driver and two women from Arizona who were on a commercial tour.

The crash occurred Monday before noon, according to the Colorado State Patrol. The three were returning from Yankee Boy Basin. 

Donald Fehd, 72, of Ouray, was at the wheel. The Jeep went off the right side of the road, fell 110 feet to the bottom of a cliff, then rolled another 150 feet an unknown number of times, CSP Sgt. Troy Kressler told CBS4. The vehicle landed on its roof near the bank of Canyon Creek. 

Fehd was ejected during the crash. His passengers, 28-year-old Diana Diana Robles and her aunt, 60-year-old Ofelia Figueroa-Perez, were wearing their seat belts and remained inside the vehicle. Both women were from Yuma, Arizona.

All three were pronounced deceased at the scene.

Fehd was driving for Colorado West Jeep Rentals and Tours of Ouray. The scenic tour began at 8 a.m. Monday and was scheduled to end at noon, Kressler said.

According to the Ouray County Plaindealer, Fehd also drove and volunteered for the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team. 

The team confirmed that detail in a Facebook post, and added, "Bringing Don back to Ouray after the accident was a high honor and a great burden that all team members carry in our hearts. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and the families of the other victims from the accident. Don will be seriously missed by a grateful team."  

Kressler said CSP investigators are still trying to determine exactly how and why the vehicle left the road. Neither drugs, alcohol, nor excessive are suspected factors, he added.