RED CLIFF, Colo.—A man survived a 300-foot skid in his car down a steep embankment but died after apparently walking off a 100-foot cliff in the mountains near this town about 10 miles south of Vail, a newspaper reported.
Justin Parker, 25, of Ames, Iowa, was found shortly after his car was discovered Sept. 30 off of U.S. 24, but his name was not released until Sunday, the Vail Daily reported.
Sgt. Greg Daly of the Eagle County sheriff’s office told the newspaper that footprints led away from the car, indicating Parker survived the impact into some trees.
Investigators believed Parker was still alive but had simply walked away and failed to report the accident Sept. 27.
A Colorado Air National Guard helicopter on a training exercise discovered Parker’s body at the bottom of a cliff, which was about 100 yards from the accident.
It was unclear why it took a week to release Parker’s name. A message left after business hours by The Associated Press for a sheriff’s spokeswoman was not immediately returned.
