A Colorado State Patrol trooper suffered minor injuries Saturday afternoon after her patrol car was struck by a vehicle that failed to stop at a stop sign on Highway 172 in La Plata County, and the other driver, a 50-year-old Durango man, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

The crash occurred at 3:14 p.m. April 18, 2026, as Trooper Ziegler traveled on Highway 172 through the intersection of La Plata County Road 311, according to the Colorado State Patrol. A blue Dodge sedan struck her patrol car on the left-rear side after failing to stop at the stop sign, sending the patrol vehicle into a white Dodge truck and then off the south shoulder of Highway 172.

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The drivers of the blue Dodge sedan and the white Dodge truck were not injured, and neither vehicle was carrying a passenger, the agency said. The Durango driver was taken into custody at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Trooper Ziegler was transported by personal vehicle to an area medical facility, where she was treated for minor injuries and released.

The crash happened two days before April 20 — commonly referred to as “4/20” — and the Colorado State Patrol used the incident to remind motorists that impaired driving, whether from cannabis, alcohol or any other substance, puts lives at risk and will not be tolerated on Colorado roadways.

The agency urged drivers to plan a sober ride in advance to help ensure everyone arrives home safely.