The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Local woman killed in two-car crash Wednesday morning
Update as of November 7, 2025
According to records obtained from the Gunnison County courts, Dylan Blessing-Garcia appeared in Gunnison County court on Wednesday, November 5 charged with vehicular homicide, a felony. Judge Ashley Burgemeister set bond at $5,000 and set the next hearing date for November 18 at 9 a.m. Bond was posted for the defendant at the jail on November 5 at 4 p.m. and he was released.
Update as of November 6, 2025
Gunnison County coroner Michael Barnes officially identified the 38-year-old woman
as Crested Butte resident Heather Cooper who was alone in the car when it was struck.
He said the cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries.
Sergeant Alvarado of the Colorado State Patrol said Thursday the driver of the GMC
Sierra was identified as 18-year-old Dylan Blessing-Garcia from Seattle, Washington. He was
treated and released from GVH with minor injuries before being taken to the Gunnison
County jail. He confirmed Blessing was booked on a charge of vehicular homicide.
A 38-year-old Crested Butte woman was killed Wednesday morning, November 5 on Highway 135 near the Roaring Judy fish hatchery in a car crash. While no names have yet been released, sergeant Ivan Alvarado of the Colorado State Patrol said the accident occurred about 8:20 a.m. and resulted in the highway being closed for hours.
A GMC Sierra driven by an 18-year-old male from Washington State was passing a car near mile marker 13.7. Alvarado said that section of road is clearly marked as a no passing zone with double yellow lines. The Sierra hit the front left portion of a Ford Escape that was southbound on Highway 135 and driven by the 38-year-old female. She was declared deceased on the scene.
The male was taken to Gunnison Valley Hospital for minor injuries. He was then booked into the county jail on charges of vehicular homicide.
We will provide more detail as they become available. Our deep condolences go out to the friends and family of the woman who was killed.
