Adams County deputy killed in crash

FORT LUPTON, Colo. — An off-duty Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputy was hit and killed late Tuesday by a driver on Highway 52 in Fort Lupton, according to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday that Deputy Joshua Tapia had passed away. A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said that Tapia was on foot when he was struck by a driver Tuesday night.

The sheriff’s office spokesperson said the driver who hit Tapia stopped, rendered aid and called 911. He said Tapia was transported by medical personnel but was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The sheriff’s office honored Tapia as a “cherished husband, father, friend” as well as a deputy who had dedicated more than 25 years of service to the sheriff’s office. 

Tapia was also a member of Rampart Search and Rescue, which responds to lost and stranded persons in Adams and Lincoln Counties in Colorado and provides safety education. According to the sheriff’s office, Tapia was someone “who was devoted to serving the community in any capacity he could.”

“Deputy Tapia’s devotion to teaching, training, and mentorship was a blessing for our agency,” the sheriff’s office said in their post.

Tapia also served as a volunteer firefighter for the Fort Lupton Fire Protection District for 20 years. His last shift before he retired was in August 2023.

The Fort Lupton Police Department is investigating the crash.