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US Honor Flag to honor CSP Trooper Cody Donahue Friday

Funeral services for fallen trooper start at 11 am
Posted at 3:16 PM, Dec 01, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-01 20:36:33-05

DENVER – The United States Honor Flag, which has paid tribute to countless brave men and women who have died in the line of duty, will honor the life of Colorado State Trooper Cody Donahue Friday.

Funeral services for Donahue, 34, will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at the Denver First Church of the Nazarene in Englewood. The services begin at 11 a.m.

Originally from North Dakota, Donahue had been with the force for 11 years and was stationed at the Castle Rock office. He was a husband and father to two young daughters.

His obituary states that he was "extremely hard working, honorable, and genuinely kind. He was so honest he even
gave his own wife a ticket." Donahue was called a gentle giant who loved children and helping others.

A memorial page set up for Donahue by Ellis Family Services says the family is asking for contributions to the Flying Wheels Foundation be made in lieu of flowers.

The foundation’s address is 15055 South Golden Road, Golden, Colorado 80401.

GoFundMe account was set up by the Colorado State Patrol to help raise money for the family.

The man accused of hitting and killing him, Noe Gamez-Ruiz, is being charged with failure to yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle and careless driving resulting in death. He’s next due in court in January.

Motorcade procession

At approximately 9:45 a.m. Friday, a small detail of cars, including Trooper Donahue and his family, will leave the Ellis Family Services in Littleton.

They will travel onto westbound Colorado 470 from West Bowles Avenue and will continue on westbound Colorado 470 until they exit onto northbound Colorado 285. Both highways will be closed to honor Donahue.

As the procession nears Kipling, the vehicles making up the large procession detail will enter Colorado 285. As the smaller group passes, the large procession detail will fall in behind the main processional.

This large procession will continue along Colorado 285, which becomes Hampden, until it reaches the Denver First Church of the Nazarene. All traffic along Hampden, between Colorado and University, will close to allow for an honorable transfer of Trooper Donahue and the US Honor Flag into the church.

Upon Trooper Donahue and the US Honor Flag entering the church, the remainder of the processional will continue into the parking area. For the movement of Trooper Donahue, his family, and the US Honor Flag, all officers and vehicles will be silent. 

After the service, Trooper Donahue will be moved from the church with a small group.  That movement is private and will not include the large procession group. The media and general public will not be permitted in either procession.

The U.S. Honor Flag traveled from New Mexico and entered the state of Colorado at around 11:40 a.m. You can track the flag’s movement by clicking here.

Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. Honor Flag has honored the lives of those who have lost their life in the line of duty protecting the country and also those who currently serve our communities and our nation, according to the U.S. Honor Flag Facebook page.  

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