DENVER, March 4 (UPI) -- Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter is hospitalized with broken ribs from a spill he took while riding his bicycle, a spokesman said.
Ritter, 53, has six broken ribs and a separated shoulder joint from the Tuesday accident and may remain in the hospital for several days as he deals with the pain and doctors guard him from pneumonia and monitor his breathing, the Denver Post reported.
Ritter will not require surgery and his breaks will heal on their own in approximately six weeks, said Ritter's treating physician, Dr. Carlton Barnett, a general surgeon at Denver Health.
Ritter was in "an incredible amount of pain and could barely speak," said Jamey Mills, 44, one of the other riders in Ritter's regular bike-riding group.
Ritter's injuries were extraordinarily severe for a bicycle crash, and breaking six ribs simultaneously is extremely painful, said Dr. Scott Bentz, medical director of the emergency department at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center.
