According to a news release from The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) on Sunday, Henry R. Humphreys, 80, died after being swept downstream by flash flooding after heavy rain fell over the Beulah Valley and the Aspen Acres burn scar. Humphreys was standing outside near the intersection of Colorado Highway 78 and Central Avenue when he was caught in the strong floodwaters.
Beulah fire personnel attempted to rescue him when he was quickly swept downstream. PCSO deputies along with members of the the Emergency Services Division and West Park Fire searched by ground for the victim, while the PCSO drone team and Flight for Life searched by air. A Flight for Life crew located the victim in a creek approximately two miles downstream from where he was swept away. Rescuers hiked into the victim, who was found dead at the scene.
According to the National Weather Service, radar estimated approximately 1 to 1½ inches of rain fell in the Beulah area over a 1½ hour period. A Flash Flood Emergency was issued there Sunday afternoon, with the National Weather Service urging residents to avoid the Aspen Acres Burn Scar.
In the release, Pueblo County Sheriff, David J. Lucero sent out his condolences to the family and those affected by this tragic loss and thanked the first responders for their efforts to rescue and locate the victim under the extremely dangerous conditions caused by the intense flooding. He further urged everyone to take precautions to protect themselves and their families especially since flooding around the burn-scarred terrain can escalate rapidly.
