OCTOBER 28, 2024 |
Photo – Classic Air Medical helicopter – Bigfoot99 file photo
Two elk hunters saved a motorcyclist’s life after he crashed at Battle Pass.
On October 16th, father and son elk hunters Jason and Ben Koperski, from Cody, were driving along Highway 70 when they spotted a brown boot sticking up from a ditch on the side of the road. The two men stopped and found 65-year-old Phillip Bollinger, from Rawlins, trapped beneath his motorcycle.
According to the Cowboy State Daily, Bollinger was traveling through the Battle Pass on his way back to Rawlins. While navigating the switchbacks on his motorcycle, a herd of deer appeared in the middle of the road. Bollinger swerved to avoid the deer and hit a patch of loose gravel, causing him to lose control and crash into a culvert on the side of the road.
The rider became trapped beneath his motorcycle, unable to free his leg. Bollinger could reach his phone but had no cell service to call for help. Instead, he used his experience as a CPR-certified trainer and wilderness safety instructor to remain calm and wait for rescue.
Bollinger’s left leg was trapped under his motorcycle, but he was still able to move his right foot. Whenever a car passed, the rider would shake his free leg hoping a motorist would notice. However, Bollinger told the Cowboy State Daily that no one stopped.
It is unclear how long Bollinger remained in the ditch waiting for rescue. Eventually, Jason and Ben Koperski saw the rider’s boot and stopped to investigate. The two men understood they shouldn’t move Bollinger, fearing he might have a spinal injury.
After numerous attempts, the Koperskis were able to reach the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office. However, due to poor cell service, the dispatcher was unable to obtain the men’s physical location.
Jason was able to use the “on-X” Hunt app on his phone to determine their exact location and he relayed the information to the dispatcher. Roughly one hour later, Sheriff Alex Bakken arrived, followed roughly 30 minutes later by an ambulance.
The paramedics were finally able to free Bollinger’s leg. The rider was loaded into a Classic Air helicopter and taken to a Fort Collins hospital. Bollinger told the Cowboy State Daily that he suffered several broken bones in his crash, one of which cut an artery in his back. The rider said he received 33 units of blood after arriving at the hospital.
Despite his extensive injuries, Bollinger is said to be in good spirits. However, he told the Koperskis that he is likely to give up on riding motorcycles – forever.
