BOULDER, Colo. — Two University of Colorado Boulder freshmen are on a long road to recovery after they were struck by a suspected drunk driver while walking home earlier this month.
Jasmine Floyd, 18, and Anthony Maravi, 19, were on the sidewalk when the driver jumped a curb and struck them in the area of Broadway and 20th Street around 12:30 a.m. on September 9 — 12 days after the start of the school year. The teens spent several days in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Jasmine's mother, Kelly Floyd, said no one ever called her to let her know what happened to her daughter. She found out about the crash by chance.
Floyd told Denver7 prior to her daughter leaving for school, the family shared their locations in an app to stay connected.
"I had this uneasy feeling, and I don't know how to describe it. I don't know how to explain it, but something wasn't right. And I felt it. So the first thing I did, I checked the app. And it said Boulder Community Hospital," said Floyd.
That's when Floyd frantically dialed her daughter's cell phone and a man picked up.
"'Sir, sir. I believe this is the victim's mother,'" Floyd recalled hearing. "And immediately hearing those words, my heart sank."
She took the first flight from California to Denver, and only then did she learn her daughter was still alive.
Anthony said he remembers walking with Jasmine on the sidewalk and then seeing headlights blaring toward them.
"I looked back and just remember the car being already on the curb heading toward us," he said.
Anthony said he jumped in front of Jasmine to shield her from the car barreling toward them. He spent several days in the ICU recovering from a lacerated liver and fractured wrist. His mom, Jenny Garces, said there's months of physical and mental therapy ahead for her son, but she's grateful.
"They're walking, they're talking. They got a traumatic experience, but I have hope that they move forward. They are teenagers," said Garces.
Jasmine is back home in California and was forced to withdraw from CU.
After waking up from a medically-induced coma, she's recovering from multiple concussions, a broken clavicle and facial trauma.
"It's life changing — not just for them but for their families. So out of everything, I hope that the message gets through that please don't drink and drive," said Floyd.
Denver7 Gives is collecting money to help Anthony and Jasmine in their road to recovery. To donate, visit Denver7 Gives and select "Help CU Students Hit by Impaired Driver" from the drop-down menu.
The driver, Jordan Michael Hemstreet, 24, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, vehicular assault (reckless), driving a vehicle on a suspended license and no proof of insurance.
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