On Monday, the Colorado State Patrol paused its routine to remember Master Trooper William Moden, a 12-year veteran who was killed while working a crash scene on Interstate 70 near Deer Trail on June 14, 2019. Moden was struck while documenting roadway evidence and later died at a Denver hospital, a grim reminder of how exposed troopers remain on Colorado’s busiest east-west corridors.
The agency marked the anniversary with a post on X that shared a photo and tribute noting his years of service and that he was hit while documenting evidence at the scene. Colorado State Patrol published the message today, as the department publicly honored his memory.
How the crash unfolded
Reporting at the time shows Moden had been investigating a one-vehicle rollover that ejected a woman and an 18-month-old child when, at about 9:40 p.m., he stepped outside his cruiser to take measurements and was struck by a passing pickup on eastbound I-70 near mile marker 324. That timeline and scene description were reported by the Colorado Springs Gazette.
Investigation and legal outcome
Arapahoe County prosecutors later announced they would not file criminal charges against the pickup driver, saying investigators found no impairment, distraction or mechanical failure. The decision was announced in August 2019. That outcome, and the State Patrol's observation that standard reflective vests may not have been sufficiently visible that night, were reported by the Associated Press.
Why the danger persists
Lawmakers in 2017 raised penalties under the “Move Over for Cody Act” after earlier on-duty trooper deaths, but compliance gaps and split-second risks at roadside scenes remain a problem, according to Colorado Politics. Agencies also point to practical changes in how scenes are handled. CDOT temporarily closed eastbound I-70 during the CSP investigation into Moden’s death to protect the scene, and safety reviews that followed have informed operational shifts around crash investigations. CDOT posted an advisory about that closure during the week of the incident.
Memorials and steps the Patrol has taken
In the days after the crash, Moden's colleagues and local residents held a procession and memorials, and donations were collected for his family as the State Patrol and partner agencies paid tribute. The department now highlights tools meant to reduce roadside exposure, including a drone program that officials say has cut on-scene investigation hours and lane closures, and it preserves Moden's record on its Fallen Officer Legacies page, which notes he entered the Patrol on January 8, 2007, and was posthumously promoted to Master Trooper. See the department's review of the drone program and its memorial entry for additional context: Colorado State Patrol drone program review and Colorado State Patrol Fallen Officer Legacies.
Seven years on, the anniversary posts and the policy shifts that followed Moden's death are part of a steady push to keep first responders safer on Colorado's roads. Officials say technology, better equipment, and public compliance with Move Over rules are all part of the solution.
