Truck Passed Down From Father To Son Was Stolen Before Chase, Crash Into Westminster Fire Station
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) – A stolen truck that barreled through a Westminster fire station Thursday morning was a family heirloom, recently passed down to a young man after his father died following a battle with cancer.
Austin Myrick told CBS4 the truck used to evade police was stolen from his apartment days before the crash at Westminster Fire Station No. 2.
Myrick said he turned on the news Thursday morning to see images of his truck crumpled under bricks at a nearby fire station.
"I was heartbroken," Myrick told CBS4's Dillon Thomas.
Myrick said he inherited the truck from his father recently.
"This truck was my Grandpa's, and then it got passed down to my Dad," Myrick said. "He got diagnosed with cancer and eventually he passed away from cancer."
Myrick said his mother, Mieka, woke up Tuesday morning and noticed the truck was missing from their Arvada neighborhood. After reporting the theft to police, both hoped it would one day be returned safely. However, after seeing the truck was involved in the chase and crash, both were heartbroken.
"It was very hard. I cried. I'm sure he probably cried," Mieka said.
"It's just really sad, and heartbreaking to me, that I can't drive that thing anymore. I wish I drove it more," Austin Myrick said.
Austin, and his father Dallas Myrick, shared many memories in the truck. From baseball practices to hunting trips and more, the two shared a bond together while in the truck.
"Sometimes things aren't just materialistic things. Sometimes they have true sentimental value," Mieka said. "It was something that was a part of his dad. When you get in that truck you could still feel him, his energy was there, you could smell his scent. It was very valuable, not price wise, but sentimentally."
Westminster police have not released the identity of the man and woman who were in the stolen truck at the time of the chase and crash. While no firefighters or innocent bystanders were hurt in the incident, both people in the truck were killed upon impact.
Though the truck is ruined, the memories made in it are not. For the Myricks, the time spent between a father and his son are forever, and can't be stolen.
"It felt like it was part of the family, I had to take care of it," Austin said.
"It was a special car. And, it sucks that somebody just took it," Mieka said.
A GoFundMe page has been created to replace the vehicle for Austin.