Car Plunges 300 Feet Off Gold Camp Road

COLORADO SPRINGS -A man is alive after hiscar plunges 300 feet down a cliff off Gold Camp Road Friday night.

21-year-old James McLaughlin had just left the dog park at Bear Creek Friday night and decided to take a drive with his dog Dexter. “He was in the backseat and all of the sudden, after we came out of the first tunnel, he decided he wanted to be up right next to me and jumped into my lap,” said McLaughlin.

McLaughlin was going around the curve at the time and hit a jump, his car launched into the air and hit a tree, causing the car to go completely upside down. “Next thing I remember, I was actually sprawled out on my back, being held up by one rock in the middle of my back,”he said.

Dexter was underneathMcLaughlin andwhen McLaughlin moved, he ran away.

His car was about 30 feet away on top of some boulders. “I tried to start walking, my legs do not work. I’d try and stand up and crumble to the ground,” hesaid. “I started to army crawl, literally dragging my feetover 4foot boulders.”

After 2 1/2 hours, McLaughlin made it to his car. “All the windows were intact but the windshield obviously broke, very clear I was thrown from my car through the windshield.” McLaughlin was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash. “I always wear my seatbelt, I don’t know why I wasn’t, it’s a habit.” Rescuers say McLaughlin wouldn’t be alive if he had been wearing his seatbelt.

It was too dark to see anything and McLaughlin couldn’t reach his phone. He was able to get an emergency kit out and start a fire to warm his arms and legs. When daylight hit, McLaughlin heard some hikers. “I’m yelling at the top of my lungs, please somebody help me, save me!”

Two hikers went to grab their cell phone and call for help. While they were gone, other hikers found McLaughlin and got his phone out of the car to call police. Dexter returned at that time and was taken by one of the hikers to the veterinarian. He suffered a few bruises to his back right leg, but is doing okay.

McLaughlin was taken to Penrose Main where he suffered a fractured kneecap, pelvis and three vertebrae.