SHERIDAN, Colo. — A massive sinkhole opened up and swallowed a Toyota RAV4 SUV on Oxford Avenue in Sheridan Tuesday evening.
Sheridan police tweeted that the driver was OK and shared a photo showing the vehicle submerged in water 15 feet down.
Police say the woman was able to climb out before the SUV fell.
Sink hole eastbound Oxford Ave. east of Natches Ct. Oxford closed eastbound at Natches Ct. Alternate routes advised. There is a car in there! Driver is okay. pic.twitter.com/5X4WIdm3Ge
— Sheridan Police Dept (@Police_spd) July 25, 2018
The sinkhole occurred on Oxford Avenue at the intersection of Natches Court amid a drenching thunderstorm. Police say the rain impacted a pipe below the pavement which gave way.
Witness Tye Adams grabbed his phone and took video just as the SUV began to sink.
“I've never seen anything like it," Adams said. "I didn't think I would go to work one day and see a car fall into the ground like that. It's pretty absurd. $40,000 down the drain literally, you know what I mean?"
It is the second time in about three years that a sinkhole opened up at the same intersection.
On June 15, 2015, a Sheridan officer driving his patrol car on Oxford Ave. was injured when the road gave way, and his patrol SUV fell 15-20 feet down. Sgt. Greg Miller managed to crawl out of the hole and was treated for his injuries. He responded to Tuesday's incident.
Crews are at the scene and have closed off the area while they work to repair the road. Teams are concerned that a damaged gas line could rupture.
