'He Loved Being A Colorado State Trooper': Remembering Daniel Groves
GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4) - Two days after the storm that took his life, Colorado State Patrol Cpl. Daniel Groves was honored by his fellow state troopers. Groves drove to an area where he knew people would need his help during the unprecedented blizzard on Wednesday.
"He knew what was at stake when he went out Wednesday morning, but he went anyway because it's worth it," said Colorado State Patrol Chief Colonel Matthew Packard.
Groves died after he was struck by a car on Interstate 76 in Weld County near Roggen, halfway between Brighton and Fort Morgan.
The trooper was assisting a driver who slid off the road, when a 2001 Volvo lost control and hit Groves. The driver has been identified as John Carpenter, 58, of Centennial.
Packard says there wasn't a task or opportunity to serve that Groves would turn down.
"Had Dan been 5 minutes later, he'd have been helping the guy that hit him," said Packard. "When anyone needed help, they called Dan."
Groves began his career with the Colorado State Patrol in July 2007. His colleagues say he loved being a state trooper, and he died doing what he loved.
"It would be ironic if it wasn't tragic that Dan was out there trying to help people, trying to save lives, trying to prevent the very thing that cost him his. It would be a tragedy if we didn't learn from what happened," said Packard. "It's frustrating. We're literally dying trying to serve. Dan died trying to serve."
Packard says the majority of drivers do move over, but all it takes is one who doesn't. He says drivers need to be more mindful of conditions and simply pay attention.
"Dan lived everyday like a hero and so the other 1,200 men and women that are a part of this organization," said Packard.
Investigators are asking for the public's help from anyone who may have witnessed or has information related to the crash that killed Groves. The crash happened on I-76, near mile post 47, at 11:20 a.m., on Wednesday.
Witnesses observed a female at the scene that rendered aid to Trooper Groves. Investigators would like to talk to her about what she may have witnessed. Also, investigators are looking for anyone else in the vicinity around that time who may have witnessed the crash or assisted. Please contact the Colorado State Patrol as soon as possible.
Details of the crash itself are not yet available and it is still under investigation.
Anyone with information related to the crash is encouraged to call Investigator Jon Smith with the Colorado State Patrol at: 303-239-4501, reference case # 3A190433.
The memorial service for Groves is scheduled for March 21 at Life Bridge Church in Longmont. A patrol car is parked outside the CSP office in Greeley in Groves' memory.
On Thursday morning, I-76 was closed from Tower Road to the Colorado-Nebraska border due to dangerous driving conditions.