A dirt biker is accused of felony DUI and more after riding illegally on Swan Mountain Road.
Summit County Sheriff’s deputies were investigating reports of smoke in the area on Monday afternoon when they found the dirt biker ripping around on Swan, where a large portion of the road is still unpaved. It has been closed for construction since April.
In body-cam footage shared by the sheriff’s office, a deputy tells the suspect he passed at least four obvious signs saying the road was closed. The suspect allegedly refused a sobriety test when deputies said he smelled like alcohol.
Deputies later learned the man had a history of DUI and was riding an unregistered machine with no license. He was arrested on site and taken to jail.
In Colorado a DUI is elevated to a felony when the suspect has three or more prior convictions.
The smoke sighting was a false alarm. Deputies found no evidence of wildfire.
Swan Mountain Road remains closed to through traffic. The road is open on the north end, via Summit Cove, for access to campgrounds. The closure begins at Sapphire Point. From there, the south end of the road is closed to Farmer’s Korner at the intersection of Highway 9. The county expects Swan Mountain to reopen completely in early August.