A 71-year-old American woman who lives in Los Barriles suffered suspected fractures after a recreational vehicle rolled over on Monday morning, May 4, on the road leading to the El Cardonal subdivision in the East Cape region of Baja California Sur.
Unofficial reports indicate the woman may have fractured her pelvis, tibia, and fibula on her right side. She was riding with another person at the time of the rollover. Private paramedics responded to the scene and transported her to a hospital in San José del Cabo, roughly 80 kilometers south, for treatment.
Traffic Officers Document the Scene
Municipal traffic officers from La Paz traveled to the crash site to document the incident. No third parties were involved or injured. After the scene was processed, authorities released the vehicle to an acquaintance of the woman.
The road between Los Barriles and El Cardonal is a rural route that runs through the East Cape corridor, an area popular with American and Canadian retirees. Much of the road network in this part of BCS remains unpaved, with sandy, uneven surfaces that can be difficult for recreational vehicles and ATVs.
East Cape Road Conditions a Known Concern
Los Barriles sits about 105 kilometers north of San José del Cabo along the Transpeninsular Highway. El Cardonal, a smaller community to the south, is a subdelegación (administrative subdivision) of the municipality of La Paz. The dirt roads connecting these communities pass through desert terrain with loose gravel, washboard surfaces, and occasional steep grades.
The East Cape area has limited emergency medical resources. The East Cape Health Center in Los Barriles provides basic care, but serious injuries typically require a transfer to hospitals in San José del Cabo or La Paz. In this case, the woman’s transport by private paramedics to San José del Cabo was the faster option given the distances involved.
Drivers operating off-highway vehicles or recreational vehicles on unpaved East Cape roads should reduce speed on loose surfaces and check tire pressure before heading out on sandy tracks.
This story was first reported by BCS Noticias and confirmed by Peninsular Digital.