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Mr. Cobo, who provided some additional information. Mr. Cobo stated that CDOT received a call <br />from the State Patrol at approximately 10:00 am on 5/23/02. Mr. Cobo said he directed CDOT <br />employee Gene Barch to drive to the rockfall with a CDOT snowplow, to see if the plow could <br />move the rock. Mr. Cobo said that he was subsequently informed by Mr. Bazch that the rock was <br />too heavy for the snowplow to move. Mr. Cobo informed me that he then began preparing to drive <br />a CDOT loader to the site, but was then informed by Mr. Bazch that an LCC loader had already <br />arrived at the site. Mr. Cobo indicated that he then drove to the rockfall site. I asked Mr. Cobo if <br />he knew how the rock had been reduced in size once it had been moved to the highway shoulder. <br />Mr. Cobo informed me that he had used a "boulder buster". Mr. Cobo described a "boulder buster" <br />as a piece of equipment that is used to drill a single hole into a rock. The hole is then loaded with <br />an explosive chazge, which is subsequently detonated. <br />I asked Mr. Cobo how long he had been working for CDOT, and he stated that he had worked for <br />CDOT for 11 years. I asked Mr. Cobo if he had any idea how often rockfall occurred along SH12. <br />Mr. Cobo stated that in some yeazs, CDOT had been called out as often as 2-3 times per day. I <br />asked Mr. Cobo how often he had been called out to clear rockfalls since January, 2002. Mr. Cobo <br />stated that this year "had been gretty slow for rockfall". <br />I asked Mr. Cobo if he had any idea what sorts of things contribute to rockfall along SH 12. Mr. <br />Cobo stated, "high moisture, snowstorms, and high wind". I asked Mr. Cobo if he knew whether <br />any of those conditions existed azound the time of the rockfall. Mr. Cobo stated that Trinidad had <br />experienced some high winds on Tuesday, 5(21(02, and Wednesday, 5(22102, but that Trinidad had <br />experienced very little rain. He said that he didn't know what the weather had been like around the <br />azea of the rockfall. <br />Following my conversation with Mr. Cobo on 5/24/02, I attempted to telephone Mr. Leef, at <br />approximately 9:C5 am, to inform him that I would be inspecting the mine site later that day, and to <br />inform him of his right to attend if he so chose. I was unable to contact Mr. Leef at that time. <br />Following my attempt to telephone Mr. Leef, I again telephoned the State Patrol office in Trinidad, <br />to obtain some additional information. A recording directed me to call the State Patrol Dispatcher <br />in Pueblo (719-544-2424), which I called. The State Patrol Dispatcher on duty, Ms. "Charlie" <br />Rupp, informed me that the State Patrol had received a call about the rock at 9:07 am on 5/23/02, <br />that a State Trooper by the last name of Chacon had amved at the rockfall at 9:36 am on 5/23/02, <br />and that the road was re-opened at 10:30 am on 5/23/02. I asked the Dispatcher if the State Patrol <br />had a log of the events. She said that they did, and asked if I would like her to fax it to me. I asked <br />her to fax it to both DMG's office, and to LCC's office, which she said she would do. <br />I amved at LCC's mine office near Primero, Colorado at approximately 10:40 am on the morning <br />of 5/24/02, and met Ms. Torres. No one else was at the mine office at this time. I informed Ms. <br />Torres of the purpose of my visit. As Mr. Leef s request for inspection did not request <br />confidentiality, Iprovided acopy ofthe request to Ms. Torres. I also verified that the mine had <br />received the State Patrol phone log. <br />I asked Ms. Torres if she had any recollection of the events of Thursday, May 23, 2002. Ms. Torres <br />stated that at approximately 8:15 am on Thursday, 5/23/02, she was traveling eastbound on SH12 on <br />