DENVER — Those who knew Colorado State Patrol Trooper William Moden say he was a man who served others and loved his job. Now, a community is shaken over his loss, but also hurt by the irony in his death.
Moden was a strong advocate of “move over” laws, which require people to move over for emergency vehicles on roadsides or to slow down if moving over is not possible to do safely.
“The sadness is here. Sadness for Amy and the family left behind,” said Michael Williams, the founder of Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry.
Willams says he and Moden would talk often about their Christian faith and how it ties into law enforcement.
“This was a guy who was everything we want in a police officer. Everything we want,” Williams said. “He lived a breathed the Colorado State Patrol, but he also lived for his wife, his dogs, his family.”
But what sticks with Williams is a photo taken at the 2019 Denver Saint Patrick’s Day parade he posted on Facebook, with Moden standing front and center.
“That’s the irony of all this,” Williams said. “He’s in the Saint Patrick’s Day parade behind this sign that says, ‘Move over for state troopers,’ and he gets killed by somebody who doesn’t move over. He lived to make our roads safe, he lived the ethos of ‘move over.'”
CSP says Moden died after he was hit by a vehicle on Interstate 70 in eastern Arapahoe County while investigating a rollover crash Friday. Both crashes are still under investigation.