Tom Murphy, Sprint Vice-President, Killed by Boulder in Colorado

Tom Murphy, a vice-president of corporate brand marketing at Sprint Nextel Corporation, was killed in a freak accident involving a boulder. The Kansas City Star reports that the Colorado State Patrol described the boulder as the size of a briefcase.

The accident happened in Snowmass Canyon on Colorado 82 near Aspen.

Murphy was driving his 2007 Chevy Tahoe along with his wife and 11-year-old son when the boulder crashed down into his windshield. His son received moderate injuries. His wife struggled to control the car from the passenger seat.

Murphy and his family were returning home to Kansas City from a vacation. Murphy served as vice-president of corporate brand marketing at Sprint for the last 10 years. Sprint released a statement after hearing of his untimely death. "The employees of Sprint are deeply saddened on the death of Tom Murphy. Cheerful and enthusiastic, he was a highly effective marketing advocate for Sprint and a beloved member of Sprint's NASCAR team."

The Kansas City Star quoted Sgt. Rich Armstrong of the Colorado State Police as this type of accident being fairly common in Colorado. "It's one of the hazards of driving in Colorado," Armstrong said.

Deaths by falling rock are quite common in Colorado, because of the state's unique mountainous terrain. CBS4 Denver reported in 2008 how the state set up hybrid fences along Interstate 70. The Colorado Department of Transportation has spent millions of dollars setting up and testing preventative barriers to at least slow down the falling rocks and minimize injury and death.

However, the sheer volume of traffic on Colorado's roadways gives any driver a slight chance of danger. Falling rocks are most likely to occur after a period of rain, as the rocks thaw after a winter freeze. Drivers can be as vigilant as they want, but falling boulders are usually out of the line of sight of the driver, and it's too quick to react anyway.

The state of Colorado has a long history of deaths by falling rock, but the majority have been mining-related. Boulders falling on moving vehicles and houses are not as common, but they occur a few times a year in Colorado. KWTX reported in 2008 how falling rocks hit vehicles twice in two days, one killing an infant.

Other states with widespread falling rock danger are Washington and California. No matter how much protective fence gets put up, it's nearly impossible to secure every inch of highway in these danger zones.

Kansas City Star, "Sprint executive killed by boulder"
CBS4 Denver, "Hybrid Fences Help Save Traffic From Falling Rocks"
KWTX, "Falling Rock Kills Infant"