Family of Colorado State Patrol Trooper Cody Donahue issues first statement since his death

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. – The family of Colorado State Patrol Trooper Cody Donahue, who was killed after being hit by a semi-truck along I-25 last Friday, pleaded with people to take note of emergency responders in its first official statement.

The statement, released Thursday morning by Colorado State Patrol, thanks the public for the support it has sent to the family and the state patrol, and asks for people to stop driving carelessly.

First of all, we want to thank everyone who has sent love and prayers to our family, including our community, the Colorado State Patrol, and our friends and family around the world.  We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  There are no words to express how great our loss is.  Cody was the rock of our family.  He was always there to make us smile, lend a hand, give a hug.  Our hearts are forever broken.  We do want to take this opportunity to ask all who have been touched by this tragedy, please don’t drive carelessly.  If you see emergency personnel on the side of the road, please slow down and move over.  Two little girls are going to grow up without their Daddy and there’s just no good reason.  

The Donahue Family

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.

A 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.