KUSA - Law enforcement groups are raising money for a Denver police detective after his 6-year-old daughter died in a car crash that also left him with serious injuries.
The crash happened Saturday evening around 5:50 p.m. A spokesman for Colorado State Patrol said 33-year-old Jared Purdy was driving a pickup truck eastbound on Interstate 70 near Limon when another driver - going the wrong way on the highway - crashed into him.
Purdy suffered serious injuries, CSP said, and was transported to a hospital. His daughter Reagan was killed in the crash.
CSP said 68-year-old Gary Williams was driving the other vehicle, a 2006 Toyota SUV.
An arrest affidavit said investigators noted the roads were icy and wet that evening, and that Williams was traveling westbound on I-70 when he lost control of his vehicle. He was pulling a trailer at the time.
According to court documents, Williams told investigators he regained control of his SUV, but was facing eastbound in the westbound lanes. Although he was facing the wrong way, he told investigators he did not want to attempt to turn around his vehicle and trailer in order to drive the correct way “due to the state of the roads,” court documents said.
Williams told investigators he put his flashers on and started driving the wrong way, looking for a place to cross the center median.
CSP said Purdy tried to avoid being hit by Williams, but the two vehicles collided.
Williams was arrested on investigation of several charges including vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, reckless endangerment and reckless driving. CSP said he was also transported to a local hospital with injuries.
The agency said alcohol and drugs are not suspected factors in this crash.
The Denver Police Department said Purdy is a detective and has been with the department since 2006.
Help for the family mobilized quickly.
On its Facebook page this week, Blue Lives Colorado shared information about fundraising efforts to help the Purdy family with medical costs and funeral expenses.
9NEWS has verified an account, managed by the Rocky Mountain Law Enforcement Federal Credit Union, has been set up in honor of Reagan Purdy.
Anyone who wants to donate can call the credit union or stop by one of the credit union locations in person to donate to the “R. Purdy Memorial Fund.”
“I think there are two end goals here,” said Jennifer Witkowski, who runs the Blue Lives Matter Facebook page. “One is to provide the family with the financial support they need right now, during this horrific event. And the other is to provide them with the emotional support that our page offers for them.”
Witkowski said there is also a GoFundMe account set up for the Purdy family.
“Our goal is to take that burden off of them and make it where their focus right now is healing and grieving,” Witkowski said.
Witkowski encouraged people to offer emotional support for the Purdy family too as they grieve during this holiday season.
“Remember them in your prayers,” she said. “When you’re sitting at your table around with your family, be thankful for who you have sitting next to you and that you have your family.”
R Purdy Memorial Fund
303-458-6660