Local woman in serious condition

DENVER - An Avon woman injured Saturday morning when her car struck a deer is in serious condition at a Denver hospital, her boyfriend said Sunday.

Meghan Cozzens, 25, who lives in Wildridge, was driving west on Interstate 70 near Avon when her car struck a deer, causing her car to roll about five times. She was thrown from the vehicle, State Patrol said.

"She's out of danger, she's stable. Her vital signs are strong," said Jay Restrepo, Cozzens' boyfriend. Cozzens, whose spleen had to be removed at the Vail Valley Medical Center after the accident, was flown Saturday to the Denver Health Medical Center.

Doctors are expected to remove one of Cozzens' kidneys today, said Restrepo, 33, of Wildridge. She will remain breathing with the help of a ventilator until Wednesday, he added.

As a result of the accident, Cozzens also sustained other injuries including a broken nose and compressed fractures in her back.

"(The doctors) are hoping they won't have to operate on her back and just put her in a brace," Restrepo said.

Cozzens, a massage therapist at Allegria Spa, was leaving her part-time job at Loaded Joe's in Avon and was heading to Cordillera to help an older couple clean their home when the accident happened, Restrepo said.

Troopers believe Cozzens wasn't wearing her seat belt.

"I can't imagine what happened, she always wears her seat belt," said Restrepo, who has known Cozzens for five years.



Vail, Colorado