‘Move Over' law violations put law enforcement at risk
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (KDVR) — Drivers not obeying Colorado's 'Move Over' law are putting law enforcement officers and others in danger on the roads.
The law requires drivers to move at least one lane over when approaching emergency vehicles with flashing lights. The Castle Rock Police Department tells FOX31 a marked patrol car with emergency lights running was totaled when another driver crashed into its back end on Tuesday, causing the car to catch fire.
Castle Rock police vehicle totaled in crash on I-25
The officer was standing nearby but was not injured.Trooper Sherri Mendez of the Colorado State Patrol told FOX31 she has almost been struck by drivers not abiding by the law while doing her job.
'It just sounds so fast and loud, and you can feel sometimes the car shake,' she said.
Mendez says following the Move Over Law is crucial to saving lives on the road and drivers should slow down and move over when they see any vehicle on the side of the road with flashing lights.
'We're doing our job and we expect other people to do their job and be responsible and move over for us,' she said.
The Problem Solvers found that at least three accidents per month occurred between August and November of 2024 as a result of drivers violating the Move Over Law, including a fatal accident in Golden that killed 33-year-old police officer Evan Dunn, who had served in the Army as an aviation officer and Blackhawk pilot.
Loveland police arrest street racer who fled by car and foot: 'A dangerous problem'
Another officer was seriously injured. The driver in that case was arrested for vehicular homicide, driving under the influence and violating the 'Move Over' Law.
Mendez says the State Patrol motto is 'no one's final resting place should be on the roadway' and encourages drivers to consider the harm that can come from failing to consider the well-being of others by following the law.
'Think of everybody on the shoulder of the road as their family members — us included,' she said.
The Colorado State Patrol is still investigating the crash in Castle Rock.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Joint agency surge operation cracking down on dangerous driving
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — On Friday, multiple agencies joined together to conduct a surge operation to crack down on dangerous driving. WesternSlopeNow was allowed to ride-along with Officer Vaughn Soderquist, a member of the force for 12 1/2 years. Soderquist says a lot of the dangerous driving behaviors officers see on patrol are speeding. 'Number one is speed,' says Soderquist. 'People [are] not adhering to the speed limits. Another big problem that we have, or that is reported to us in complaints, is people running red lights and the aggressive driving behavior like quickly changing lanes or speeding around people.' Over the past five years, troopers in Mesa County investigated 83 crashes in June. Last year, seven of those included serious injuries. The rise of dangerous driving can be attributed to an increase in people on the roads during the summer season. Captain Matt Ozanic with Colorado State Patrol said, 'there's more people on the road, there's more travelers. People going camping or going to festivals.' Recently, the Colorado Department of Transportation released a report on another dangerous driving behavior; distracted driving. The passage of the hands-free law, states as of January 1, 2025, Colorado drivers must not hold a cell phone or other mobile device while driving. 'The intent of this law is to reduce the number of crashes that involve inattentive or distracted drivers,' says Regional Communications Manager for the CDOT NW region Chuck Marsh. Marsh says the law has made a difference. 'In the first five months, preliminary data is showing that because of this law,' says Marsh, 'we're looking at inattentive driving crashes being down about 19%.' Helping combat all of these dangerous driving behaviors are these surge operations that Ozanic says have been taking place since late 2022 and have proven to be very effective. Remember, if you observe a dangerous driver on the roads, report their actions to the Colorado State Patrol by dialing *277. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Investigators seek possible victims of sex offender accused of crimes involving a child
DENVER (KDVR) — A convicted sex offender was arrested in Arapahoe County for allegedly trying to lure and sexually exploit a child, and investigators are asking the public for help finding more victims. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Holland Langhorn-Padilla, 32, was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Centennial, the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office announced Friday. He was taken into custody on several charges, including: Sexual Exploitation of a Child Internet Sexual Exploitation of a Child Internet Luring of a Child Possession of Sexually Exploitative Material Habitual Sex Offender Against Children He also allegedly resisted and assaulted an investigator trying to arrest him. The charges stem from a six-month-long investigation involving the Crimes Against Children Unit, which found that Langhorn-Padilla 'was sexually exploiting children and in possession of materials containing child sexual abuse,' the sheriff's office said in a press release. Investigators said that Langhorn-Padilla, a convicted sex offender, tried to sexually exploit and lure a 12-year-old girl by harassing her via texts. The girl got his number from two of her friends, who Langhorn-Padilla was contacting through the app Snapchat. He allegedly urged the girl to meet with him to exchange sexual favors for vape devices and alcohol. The sheriff's office said investigators have reason to believe that there are more victims out there, and they are asking the public for help in trying to find them. Langhorn-Padilla is described as: 5 feet 9 inches 250 lbs Brown hair Brown eyes Stretched/gauged ears Distinct tattoos Additional booking photos show large tattoos of skulls on his right arm sleeve, a ram with an upside-down cross on the left fore-arm, and '666' vertically tattooed near his right ear. The sheriff's office said he was driving a 2020 black Chevy Impala with license plate EEJO88 when he tried to meet with the victim, but he is also known to drive a 2014 gray Hyundai Sonata with a temporary registration plate number 7360443. Langhorn-Padilla used the Snapchat usernames of 'noise666' and n666iser' and the phone number 720-666-1646. The sheriff's office asks anyone with information on the case or who knows someone who may have communicated with, was extorted by, or exploited by Langhorn-Padilla to contact the tip line at 720-874-8477. Langhorn-Padilla was booked into the Arapahoe County Detention Facility, and he is being held on a $150,000 bond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
‘Move Over' law violations put law enforcement at risk
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (KDVR) — Drivers not obeying Colorado's 'Move Over' law are putting law enforcement officers and others in danger on the roads. The law requires drivers to move at least one lane over when approaching emergency vehicles with flashing lights. The Castle Rock Police Department tells FOX31 a marked patrol car with emergency lights running was totaled when another driver crashed into its back end on Tuesday, causing the car to catch fire. Castle Rock police vehicle totaled in crash on I-25 The officer was standing nearby but was not Sherri Mendez of the Colorado State Patrol told FOX31 she has almost been struck by drivers not abiding by the law while doing her job. 'It just sounds so fast and loud, and you can feel sometimes the car shake,' she said. Mendez says following the Move Over Law is crucial to saving lives on the road and drivers should slow down and move over when they see any vehicle on the side of the road with flashing lights. 'We're doing our job and we expect other people to do their job and be responsible and move over for us,' she said. The Problem Solvers found that at least three accidents per month occurred between August and November of 2024 as a result of drivers violating the Move Over Law, including a fatal accident in Golden that killed 33-year-old police officer Evan Dunn, who had served in the Army as an aviation officer and Blackhawk pilot. Loveland police arrest street racer who fled by car and foot: 'A dangerous problem' Another officer was seriously injured. The driver in that case was arrested for vehicular homicide, driving under the influence and violating the 'Move Over' Law. Mendez says the State Patrol motto is 'no one's final resting place should be on the roadway' and encourages drivers to consider the harm that can come from failing to consider the well-being of others by following the law. 'Think of everybody on the shoulder of the road as their family members — us included,' she said. The Colorado State Patrol is still investigating the crash in Castle Rock. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
