A West Douglas County Fire volunteer firefighter is asking for help after thieves stole his truck. The truck previously belonged to his father, Steve Smith, a former fire marshal who died in 2022.
Colton Smith started volunteering as a firefighter at just 16 and briefly worked alongside his father. In April of 2022, while driving home from a downed power line, Colton's father died from a heart attack in his truck. Colton was present when his father passed.
“The last thing he said to me is that he's proud of me while in the passenger seat of that truck," said Colton.
Smith made more than 1,600 calls between 2010 and 2022. Colton hopes to follow in his father's footsteps and made more than 100 calls last year.
"He was always the person that I looked up to and said, I want to be that man," said Colton.
After Smith passed, Colton cherished his father's black Ford F-350. Colton first learned how to drive in the truck and said it holds a lifetime of memories.
Unfortunately, last Thursday, thieves stole the truck while Colton and his mother were at the movies. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office put out a crime stoppers bulletin asking for help locating the truck.
"What stings the most is that I lost the one thing that I was always terrified of losing," said Colton. "It's gone along with him."
The truck features Colorado plates with the license number: OJO-901. Additionally, there is a decal of a firefighter kneeling at a cross and a "flex fuel" badge on the tailgate.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.
