A driver survived a 200-foot plunge off a cliff into Palo Duro Canyon after a tire blowout sent his vehicle tumbling overnight Sunday.
The man extricated himself from the upside-down wreckage and remained in the canyon until daybreak Monday, when he walked to the Mack Dick Pavilion at the Palo Duro Canyon State Park for help.
A park visitor spotted him there at 11:49 a.m., alerting staff. Employees noted he had a black eye and was bleeding. Minutes later, at 12:05 p.m., they saw the overturned car below the cliff on Park Road 5 near the “Big Hill” turnout.
Texas State Park Police, the Randall County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, and fire crews from Canyon and Randall County responded. Steep terrain forced rescuers to use a high-angle ropes system.
Working with Canyon/Sierra Towing, teams lowered cables to secure the vehicle and haul it back to the roadway. Crews closed Park Road 5 at the top and bottom of the hill for safety.
The driver, who lost control late Sunday on the dark road, was transported to Northwest Texas Hospital with broken ribs and a possible concussion.
Texas State Park Police and the Texas Department of Public Safety continue investigating. Authorities thanked assisting agencies for the technical recovery and medical aid.
