Police SUV swallowed by sinkhole in Colorado

SHERIDAN, Colo. — A police sergeant on patrol in his department SUV was swallowed by a massive sinkhole here, Sheridan Police said.

Sgt. Greg Miller was traveling eastbound on West Oxford Avenue south of Denver early Friday morning when the road gave way.

"Next thing I know ... dirt — I'm assuming dust from the airbag — was floating around and everything," said Miller. "I hear the rushing water, and all I see is a dirt wall in front of me."

The car ended up 10 to 15 feet below the road surface.

Miller had to crawl out onto the roof of the SUV to crawl out of the sinkhole.

"The door wouldn't open, so I had to crawl through the window," Miller said. "I reached up, grabbed the rails at the top of the roof, pulled myself up, got on top of the car, and that's when I reached up and pulled myself up out of the hole."

Miller was taken to Swedish Medical Center to be checked out but was released. The police car is a total loss.

"I'd rather it be me than somebody — a citizen — driving down the road or kids in the car," Miller said. "Or, you've got two vehicles, and the other vehicle is on top of the other vehicle, and you've got even more injuries ... you've got people trapped. I mean, I'm glad it was me than anybody else."

The sinkhole exposed a gas line, but police said there was no break in the line. The utility plans to inspect the line and cut off the gas.

The sinkhole comes after tornadoes and strong storms moved through northern Colorado on Thursday night. The system possibly damaged more then 30 homes, bringing flooding and marble-sized hail to some areas.

Multiple funnel clouds were spotted north of Longmont, Colo., on Thursday evening. The Larimer County Sheriff's Office said two tornadoes touched down in an unincorporated part of the county. No one was reported injured or missing. Initial reports indicated at least three homes were destroyed and 12 others were damaged southwest of the town of Berthoud.

Meanwhile, at least two tornadoes touched down Thursday afternoon near the tiny town of Simla, about 60 miles southeast of Denver. The Elbert County Office of Emergency Management said at least four homes were damaged in the area. No injuries were reported from that string of storms.

Several inches of hail fell in Denver, which piled up like snow.

Contributing: The Associated Press.