A backhoe operator was injured Tuesday afternoon after losing control of the equipment while descending a steep grade on Farm-to-Market Road 170 near Lajitas.
Presidio County sheriff’s deputies responded to the incident on FM 170 at the area known locally as the “Big Hill,” just east of Presidio. According to authorities, Cristian Enriquez, 31, was operating a backhoe when he lost control while traveling downhill.
The equipment collided with a rock wall along the roadway. Due to the tractor’s weight, it broke through the wall and came to rest near the river below.
Enriquez sustained minor injuries and was transported to Big Bend Regional Medical Center in Alpine for treatment.
Responders from the Brewster County Sheriff’s Office and Terlingua Emergency Medical Services also arrived at the scene. Members of Enriquez’s work crew helped bring the injured operator back up to the roadway where first responders could assist him.
The Texas Department of Public Safety will investigate the crash.
