A cave rescue was a success Saturday in Uintah County after a man was injured by a rockfall inside Toothbrush Cave. According to the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office, a 20-year-old man was struck in the head by a falling rock about the size of a cantaloupe and was left temporarily unconscious. “One of the people in the man’s party called emergency dispatchers about 11:35 a.m. to report the accident inside Toothbrush Cave, which is about 20 miles north of Vernal and just east of Little Brush Creek Cave,” shares the Sheriff’s Office. “Uintah County sheriff’s deputies, members of the sheriff’s search and rescue team, a Gold Cross Ambulance crew and a Classic Air Medical helicopter and crew responded to the call. They learned a 20-year-old man, an 18-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man were about 200 feet inside the cave when a rock was dislodged. The rock fell about 50 feet and hit the 20-year-old man in the back of the head.” The young man remained awake during the three-hour rescue. Rescuers used a high-angle rope system to pull the man from the cave in a basket. He was transported by ambulance to Ashley Regional Medical Center where he was treated and released. Uintah County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Brian Fletcher notes that it is fortunate the man’s injuries were not more serious. While the cavers did have food and some caving equipment, they were not wearing helmets.
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