'Feels good:' As man critically hurt in Festival Foods hit-and-run heads home; an update on his wife
Jeff Coopman
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Jeff Coopman and his wife, Cheryl were critically hurt in a hit-and-run crash outside Festival Foods in Mount Pleasant on Jan. 14, and on Wednesday, Feb. 7, Jeffrey headed home from the hospital, as we received an update on his wife's condition.
The Coopmans have been receiving care from a very skilled team at Froedtert Hospital since the crash. Prosecutors say Isaiah Degroot, 17, of Racine plowed a stolen SUV into them as they walked out of Festival Foods -- severely injuring them. Prosecutors say he admitted he was behind the wheel of the stolen SUV with a handgun and drugs inside. He shouldn't have been driving in the first place, because investigators say he's never had a valid license.
For the first time on Wednesday, we heard from Jeff Coopman, who thanked medical staff, loved ones and strangers for their support as he prepared to go home.
"It feels good. I'd like to be closer to the wife, but it feels good," Jeff Coopman said.
Coopman said he remembers everything from the incident on Jan. 14.
Jeff Coopman
"It's horrific that something like this could happen at 10:30 on a Sunday morning," Coopman said.
Dr. Marc de Moya, who has been treating the Coopmans at Froedtert Hospital said Jeff suffered a broken pelvis and left leg, which nearly caused his kidneys to fail. Surgeons amputated the limb to keep him alive.
"He's had to obviously deal with a whole lot -- his own grieving of his own injuries and obviously having to deal with his wife," Dr. de Moya said.
Cheryl Coopman is in much worse condition after the crash. In addition to losing an arm and leg, she remained barely responsive as of Wednesday.
"She actually had to have her head opened up and her skull opened in order to relieve some of the pressure from the blood and the swelling brain, and part of her brain actually had to be removed in order to stop it from causing more damage," Dr. de Moya said.
Dr. Marc de Moya
Cheryl Coopman and Jeff Coopman
Jeff Coopman said to add insult to injury, he was upset to learn Degroot was out on bail at the time of the crash -- arrested in November for violent felonies including firing shots from a vehicle. In that November case, he's charged with two counts of first degree recklessly endangering safety as party to a crime, one count of possession with intent to deliver THC, less than 200 grams, possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under the age of 18, discharging a firearm from a vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon.
"I think our justice system failed me. I know it failed me and my wife big time," Coopman said.
Jeff Coopman said he's trying to focus on the positive as he headed home from the hospital. He said the first thing he was planning on doing when he got home was hugging his granddaughter, who is being cared for by Jeff and Cheryl after the recent death of their daughter. Jeff said he's also looking forward to eventually trying to get back to work.
Of course, he said he'll be at Froedtert Hospital with his wife as much as possible.
Degroot faces 19 charges. He'll be in court for his arraignment on Feb. 16.