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Motorist arrested for killing Colorado cadet, injuring officer: police

By Keith Coffman LONGMONT, Colo. (Reuters) - A Colorado State Patrol cadet was killed and his training officer critically injured on Saturday when a motorist they tried to stop struck them with his car, authorities said. The cadet, 21-year-old Taylor Thyfault, died at the scene on Colorado Highway 66 outside the town of Longmont, about 35 miles (56 km) north of Denver, State Patrol spokesman Trooper Josh Lewis said in a statement. Thyfault and Trooper Clinton Rushing, 37, were outside of their cruiser when they were struck, Lewis said. Police had been investigating a traffic accident in the area when a motorist in a Honda Civic sped through the scene of the crash, the Colorado State Patrol said. Rushing and Thyfault were farther up the road and tried to deploy so-called stop sticks, which are used to puncture the tires of an eluding vehicle, according to the State Patrol. The driver, identified as Christopher Lee Gebers, failed to stop and plowed into the officer and the cadet, Longmont police said. Rushing was transported to an area hospital with critical injuries. Thyfault was in the field with Rushing as part of his training. Gebers, 27, was arrested after he was treated for minor injuries following the crash, said Longmont Police Commander Jeff Satur. He was booked into the Boulder County jail on suspicion of first degree murder, attempted murder, assault on a peace officer, driving without a license and other charges, Satur said. It was not immediately clear if Gebers had obtained an attorney. (Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Dan Grebler)