A Fort Collins woman with ties to the local area died Monday afternoon in a two vehicle accident three miles west of Pine Bluffs on I-80. The Wyoming Highway Patrol says 55 year old Sharie Taylor, the sister of Gering businessman Tom Cozad and Darlene Tagler, also a Gering resident, was killed when she lost control of her westbound vehicle in heavy rain with standing water. The Patrol says Taylor's vehicle went into the median, spun in a counter-clockwise rotation and then crossed into the eastbound lanes, striking the rear of another vehicle.

Taylor's vehicle came to rest in the passing lanes of eastbound I-80, but the other vehicle, driven by 51 year old James Collins of Sandy, Utah continued off the roadway into the ditch and went through the right of way fence.

Three people in the Collins vehicle were taken to the Kimball hospital for treatment, but none of them were seriously injured.

The accident happened Monday afternoon around 4 p.m. and closed the eastbound lanes of the interstate for approximately three hours.