A collision on Thursday evening closed the westbound lane of U.S. Highway 160 and sent one vehicle off the highway and into a fence at the Vista Verde Village east of Cortez.

The driver of a white Volvo SUV was transported to Southwest Memorial Hospital. The other vehicle, a white Honda sedan, apparently hit the rear of the SUV, then veered into the fence in front of the mobile home park, at 28260 U.S. 160 just east of County Road 29.

“Just a typical ‘following too close,’” said Shawn Bittle, assistant chief of the Cortez Fire Protection District.

The Colorado State Patrol, Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office, a Southwest Health System ambulance crew and Cortez firefighters responded to the scene.

Traffic was reduced to the westbound lane as Colorado State Patrol investigated the scene about 5:11 p.m. The highway reopened by 6 p.m., according to Trooper Gary Cutler.