DENVER -- Family, friends and law enforcement officials are honoring the life of Colorado State Trooper Cody Donahue on Sunday. It marked the second anniversary of his death, which happened during a traffic stop along Interstate 25 in 2016.
Tragedies like Trooper Donahue's and Trooper Jaimie Jursevics a year before his make the Move Over Law crucial for protecting lives.
"This was a needless tragedy that has left behind a widow and two fatherless children,” said Colorado State Patrol Trooper Josh Lewis. "He was out there doing his job, serving and protecting Colorado, assisting on a crash scene and unfortunately a driver failed to move over as required, wasn't paying attention and struck and killed him near instantly."
The law states when you see flashing lights of a law enforcement officer, emergency responder or traffic crew, you must move over at least one lane away from where that activity is happening. This is not just a courtesy, it is an actual law and you can be stopped for it.
“If - and only if - you cannot safely move over, you can then slow down significantly as you are passing,” said Trooper Lewis.
The Move Over Law has been around for more than a decade now. All 50 states have some version of it, but CSP said many people still don't understand the law or know it exists.
“The education has gone out there, now it’s time for enforcement,” said Trooper Lewis. “We need help. We need people to be able to do the same, respond courteously, move over and to take one less thing off of our plate so that everybody is as safe as possible.”
The case against Trooper Donahue's accused killer, Noe Gamez Ruiz, remains locked up in court after a mistrial was declared in September.