Driver airlifted to EIRMC following fiery Teton Pass crash
Seth Ratliff
JACKSON, Wyoming (KIFI) — A hauler truck driver was hospitalized early Tuesday morning after their vehicle veered off Wyoming Highway 22 on the Teton Pass.
The incident occurred around 12:03 a.m. According to Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, the truck left the roadway and came to rest on the edge of a steep embankment, approximately 100 feet below the roadway.
When Jackson Hole Fire/EMS arrived at the scene, they found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames. The truck had been hauling three cars, including an electric vehicle, which can create “unique fire hazards when damaged,” says fire crews. Fearing the fire would spread into the surrounding brush and trees, firefighters worked quickly to contain the blaze.
Meanwhile, sheriff’s deputies located the driver on a steep slope. Jackson Hole Fire/EMS medics immediately began treating the individual, and a search and rescue team then used a wheeled litter carrier and ropes to carefully lower the driver to the Parallel Trail below.
From there, the driver was transported to a nearby parking lot, where an Air Idaho Rescue helicopter was waiting. The driver was airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for further treatment.
In the wake of the incident, a Teton Interagency Fire wildland engine was dispatched to check for hot spots, and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS continued to assist with debris removal and fire suppression efforts throughout the day. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Wyoming Highway Patrol.