Colorado State Patrol Trooper Struck, Killed While Assisting at Crash

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colorado -- The Colorado State Patrol identified Saturday morning the trooper struck and killed Friday night on Interstate 70 between Limon and Peoria.

Trooper William Moden, 37, was killed while assisting a crash on the side of the highway in Arapahoe County, Col. Matthew Packard, the State Patrol’s chief, said.

“We lost one of our very best,” Packard said at a morning news conference.

Moden is the fifth trooper to be killed on Colorado roads since 2015.

About 9:40 p.m. Friday, Moden stopped to investigate a crash outside his patrol vehicle on eastbound Interstate 70 near Deer Trail, Sgt. Blake White, a State Patrol spokesman, said. While tending to the car, Moden was struck by another vehicle.

The 12-year State Patrol veteran was flown to the University of Colorado Hospital. He was pronounced dead after his arrival, the State Patrol said.

Packard described Moden as a man with a wicked sense of humor, a man who loved his job and lived to help others.

“Will was an incredibly beloved guy,” Packard said. “He has a smile that was eclipsed only by the size of his heart.”

The State Patrol has not identified the driver of the other vehicle or whether any arrests have been made in connection with the incident. Nobody else was injured in the crash.

The highway was closed for several miles in both directions after the incident.

Moden worked as a vehicular crimes investigator based in Adams County, the State Patrol said. It tweeted a picture of Moden taking a selfie, a wry grin on his face.

“He was a great example and amazing human,” the State Patrol said. “You will be missed, Will.”

Colorado leaders on Saturday also expressed their condolences.

“My thoughts are with the family of Colorado State Patrol Trooper William Moden, lost in the line of duty last night,” Gov. Jared Polis tweeted. The governor said flags across the state will be lowered in Moden’s honor. “He served our state in law enforcement for 12 years and loved being a state trooper.”

Sen. Cory Gardner said he and his wife were “extremely saddened” to learn of the trooper’s death: “We owe everything to these brave, selfless heroes and are forever grateful for their sacrifice to protect our communities.”

After Trooper Cody Donahue was struck and killed by a truck driver in November 2016, former Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law the “Move Over for Cody Act,” which increased penalties for drivers who fail to move over for emergency responders.

But the law has not managed to eliminate these roadside incidents.

“The message hasn’t changed, and that’s what’s frustrating,” Packard said. “If you’re driving a car, it’s worthy of your highest degree of attention. Lives are at stake.”

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