For Weld County Patrol Deputy Cody Kollath, it wasn’t a difficult choice to squeeze through the rear windshield of a wrecked car that had caught fire after a crash.
To help save two young children who were trapped inside, in Kollath’s mind, it was simply what needed to be done.
“It’s not much of a decision,” he said. “It’s my job.”
Kollath was the first emergency responder to arrive at the single-vehicle crash Dec. 16 at the intersection of Colo. 392 and Weld County Road 33, where an SUV struck a fence and hit a dirt embankment before going airborne and crashing into a large tree.
The car was on its side with the undercarriage on fire, the roof had been smashed down and Kollath could hear the children screaming from inside the car. The only way into the vehicle was to crawl through the back hatch.
As smoke rose from the vehicle, Kollath knew there was no time to wait.
He squeezed through the rear windshield to help lift one child out of the car, and firefighters pushed through a hole in the car to stabilize the second child before removing him.
Kollath believes most people would do exactly what he did, despite the risks to his own safety. What stops most people from stepping up is the assumption that other people will step up, he said.
Being in law enforcement, Kollath knew helping those children was his responsibility. He later said it was simply part of the job and far from uncommon.
“After the incident, I spoke with quite a few of my fellow deputies who have very similar or worse stories,” he said.
Weld County Sheriff's Office Patrol Deputy Cody Kollath poses for a portrait in a meeting room at the Weld County Sheriff's Office in Greeley on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (Brice Tucker/Staff Photographer)In his training to get into law enforcement, Kollath said he and the other trainees were prepared to deal with harsh situations and how to deal with them.
“Our agency is good about detailing the things you are expected to do,” Kollath said. “Anything you may come across and preparing us mentally for the things we will come across and be expected to deal with.”
Sheriff Steve Reams said he always appreciates when deputies go above and beyond to help their community members.
“I’m always impressed when deputies go the extra mile to help people in need,” Reams said. “And Deputy Kollath’s actions just reaffirms the dedication that he has for serving the county.”
Kollath has been with the Weld County Sheriff’s Office since 2018, starting off working in the jail before becoming a patrol deputy. Most of his family also works in law enforcement, with his brother also working in the sheriff’s office.
Kollath said it was a group effort to help the kids, as onlookers were helping to extinguish the fire and other emergency responders were all working toward the same goal: getting the everyone out of the wrecked car.
Investigators determined the car was going southbound on Weld County Road 33 when the driver failed to stop at the stop sign at Colo. 392. The car went through the intersection, drove off the right side of Weld County Road 33, struck a fence and hit a dirt embankment before going airborne and colliding with a large tree.
Both children, under the age of 2, were treated at the hospital, have been discharged and are on the mend, according to a Colorado State Patrol spokesperson.
The driver of the vehicle, a 22-year-old woman from Kansas City, Kansas, and a 19-year-old male passenger from Arkansas City, Kansas, were pronounced dead at the scene. Officials did not say what relationship the driver and passenger may have had to the children, saying an investigation into the crash continues.
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