By Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado
A veteran Colorado deputy who appears to have been struck by a car when he was off-duty died after the collision. It happened late Tuesday night in Fort Lupton on Highway 52 near Purman Avenue. The victim was Deputy Joshua Tapia who worked for Adams County. He had also worked until recently as a firefighter in Fort Lupton.
Fort Lupton police said the driver whose car apparently struck the deputy stopped, called 911 and tried to provide medical aid. But Tapia was pronounced dead after first responders took him to the hospital.
According to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, “Deputy Tapia was a cherished husband, father, friend, and dedicated deputy who devoted over 25 years of service to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.” The office wrote that his “devotion to teaching, training, and mentorship was a blessing for our agency.”