Joe Curtis's plane crashes into Prius and he takes off -- but he promises to come back

Ken and Carol Marcoux's Prius (as seen in 9News coverage) has had better days.

Run, probably -- which is exactly what 67-year-old Joe Curtis did.

According to Boulder County Sheriff's Office spokesman Commander Rick Brough, Curtis crashed his single engine plane at Independence and N. 57th Street near Boulder Municipal Airport. In the process, the Boulder Daily Camera reveals, the aircraft smacked the rear portion of a Prius containing Ken and Carol Marcoux of Gunbarrel, who miraculously emerged from the incident without serious injury -- probably because his attempt to accelerate was purposeful, not unintended, as was the case for drivers in this Westword feature.

Still, Brough understates, "I'm sure it was quite a shock."

After the crash, Curtis reportedly ran as quickly as his legs could carry him -- but Brough confirms that he subsequently "contacted the FAA and told them he would be meeting them at the crash site." Which makes sense, since the plane was registered in his name and tracking him down wouldn't exactly have been a Jimmy Hoffa-like challenge.

Brough adds that because a plane is involved, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office will not be handling the investigation. That responsibility falls instead to the National Transportation Safety Board.

"All we do in a situation like this is assist," Brough says.

Not that there are all that many situations like this.