July 26--Matt Tyner rode dirt bikes in his younger years and owned a motorcycle, so transferring to the Specialized Enforcement Motorcycle Unit of the Colorado Springs Police Department made sense.
What happened Tuesday did not, when Tyner's police motorcycle collided with a vehicle on Austin Bluffs Parkway near Oro Blanco Drive. Tyner, 42, was killed, and the investigation is ongoing.
No details of the investigation are available, said police spokeswoman Barbara Miller. She said police "collected most of the evidence (Tuesday) and collected a lot of statements."
"Typically, in any crash involving a fatality, it takes two to three weeks for an investigation to be completed," Miller said.
Information about the driver and possible passengers in the other vehicle were not provided.
Funeral services are at 2 p.m. Tuesday at New Life Church.
Lt. Bob Weber heard about the accident from his wife, who called to make sure he wasn't involved. Weber rides his motorcycle to work and had just finished his shift.
"I was hoping it wasn't Matt," he said. "When I heard it was him, it was pretty devastating. It's so sad that somebody so young and full of life had to die."
Tyner was extremely outgoing, Weber said.
"He was a great guy, not a person the average citizen would think of as a cop," Weber said. "He was definitely friendly, always had a joke, something funny to say. He was full of energy and would strike up a conversation with anybody."
Tyner enjoyed his recent transfer to the motorcycle unit, Weber said.
"He told me, 'I like everything but having to give the tickets,'" Weber said. "He said he tried to make it as painless as possible for people. He said some people said it was the best ticket they ever got."
Tyner was single and had no children, Miller said. Tyner moved to Colorado Springs for the outdoor activities in 1999 from Kansas City, Mo., where he worked for the police department.
"He was what we call a lateral transfer, because he had experience," said Weber, who joined the department at the same time after moving from the Orlando, Fla., area, where he worked with the sheriff's department. "We bonded in the CSPD Training Academy for about six weeks. We had common interests. We went mountain biking together, road biking, snow shoeing, hiking, skiiing, snowboarding."
Weber, 57, said the pair had friendly competition.
"If he was having a good day, he could put a hurtin' on me and if I had a good day, I could get him," Weber said.
Weber said a staff psychologist sent an email to police officers, offering to talk if any felt the desire.
"I was kind of in denial (Tuesday)," Weber said. "Over the next few days it'll probably sink in and be harder to deal with."
Tyner's family couldn't be reached.
Weber asked for people to keep Tyner's family in their prayers.
"People who didn't know Matt," Weber said, "missed out."
COPS SEEKING HELP
The Colorado Springs Police Department wants to question a man seen in the area of Tuesday's accident that resulted in the death of motorcycle cop Matt Tyner.
A black man riding a black sports motorcycle and wearing gray shorts and a black motocross jacket is believed to have been on Austin Bluffs Parkway, between Barnes Road and Stetson Hills Boulevard.
CSPD officials wouldn't say why they want to question the man.
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