GOLDEN, Colo. — The Golden community is honoring the young police officer killed in the line of duty by a drunk driving suspect Wednesday night.
Officer Evan Dunn, 33, died in a collision on Highway 58 just after 5 p.m. Wednesday. Three other people were also injured, including Officer Bethany Grusing, his field training officer. Stephen Geer, 43, was arrested in connection with the crash.
On Thursday, a memorial for Dunn was set up outside the Golden Police station. Throughout the day, dozens of people brought flowers, cards and candles to place on a squad car parked in front of the station to honor him. The City of Golden also remembered the fallen officer's life and service in a social media post.
According to the city's post, Dunn served as a code enforcement officer for the Golden Police Department for one year before joining the police academy, from which he graduated in July. Before joining the department, Dunn was an Army aviation officer, Blackhawk pilot, and a captain in the Army National Guard.
Beyond his roles of service, Dunn was a husband, a son and a brother. He is said to be survived by his wife, Annalise, their dog, Remy, his parents, and two siblings. Dunn's wife, with whom he spent his free time camping and traveling, remembers him as "a man of faith, loyal, steady, quiet, and observant," the post reads.
Maura Nunez was one of the people who brought flowers to Dunn's memorial on Thursday as a way to thank him for his service and show support to his family. The memorial stood in stark contract to the dark, gloomy sky, as snow continued to fall in the city.
“It’s beautiful that people care, and I’m proud of that,” Nunez said. “I think the clouds are a good thing because it just encapsulates how we feel, basically.”
Cindy White also visited the memorial. She lives nearby and said she saw the procession after Wednesday night's collision. According to police, a driver hit Dunn while he was investigating a crash on the side of the highway.
“I watched the procession go up the highway, just the lights through the trees, it’s just devastating,” she said. “It was such a tragic loss. He was so young.”
Golden Police Chief Joe Harvey said that, despite being a team of 71 people, the city's police department is a family — one that is devastated by Dunn's passing.
"We are very close with each other and with our community," Harvey said in the City of Golden's post. "Evan had a bright future and was destined to do great things, and we will never get over his loss. We can only continue doing the job he loved in his honor."
The City of Golden is working on arranging Dunn's funeral and coordinating with those who want to help. Anyone who wishes to donate may do so through Colorado Fallen, the official donation website for Dunn.
Funeral details will be announced as they are finalized, the city said.