More than 48 hours after a fatal crash, the Durango Police Department on Wednesday continued to investigate why a woman driving an SUV crashed into a motorcyclist stopped at a traffic light.
No citations have been issued.
Meanwhile, the family of the motorcyclist remembered their loved one as an energetic father, husband and entrepreneur.
Tim Cooper, 52, of La Plata County died Monday after being struck from behind by a woman driving a Toyota SUV traveling south on Colorado Highway 3, near the Walmart intersection. The motorcycle was pushed into an F-150 Ford pickup also stopped at the light. The motorcycle burst into flames upon impact.
Michele Northcutt, 51, of Durango was driving the SUV.
Cooper was the owner of Coopers Construction Co., which has been in business for 21 years in Durango.
His family referred to him as “Super Cooper” for his zest for life and boundless energy for work and play, including motocross, fishing and hunting.
“Everybody says if they could grow up to be half the man he was, they’d be happy,” said his son, Wyatt Cooper, 21, in an interview Wednesday.
“He was always about his family.”
He was always friendly and willing to help out anyone, he said.
“You’d have a 5-minute conversation with him, and he was your best friend,” Wyatt Cooper said.
“I just hope everyone really knows he loved every one of his friends, and he would have done anything for them.”
Tim Cooper was born in Denver and grew up in California. In his heart, he always knew he would return to Colorado, and 26 years ago, he was the first in his family to make the move, said his sister, Vicki Taylor.
In addition to his son and sister, he is survived by his wife of 33 years, Paula Cooper, and parents, Mitch and Carole Cooper, also of Durango.
Services are planned for 2 p.m. June 18 at Miller Middle School, 2608 Junction St.
Vicki Taylor described him as the life of the party.
“He loved people. He always had stories to tell. He made people laugh,” she said.
“If he knew somebody came into town, he would go over to their house and welcome them.”
She wants to know why a driver slammed into her brother.
“The family is pleading with anybody who went by Highway 3 when it happened to please come forward,” she said.
shane@durangoherald.com
