Larimer County – Fred Jones stood alongside a dark county road late Monday and reminisced by candlelight on the days of his youth, on riding his bike in the nearby hills.
Choking on tears and shaking his head, he said he couldn’t believe it was this same road that claimed the lives of his son, Derek Jones, and two friends late Saturday.
“Why did this have to happen here?” Jones said. “What will be the lesson learned from all this?”
Fred Jones was surrounded by 24 friends of Derek Jones, Jacob Ricke, both 20, and Christopher Ragan, 19, who died in Ragan’s Ford Mustang on County Road 23. Police say they were speeding over 100 mph when the Mustang skidded out of control and was ripped apart by trees along the road. Alcohol is suspected to be involved, but toxicology tests will not be completed for a few more days, authorities said. Beer bottles littered the crash site.
“I hope these kids here (in the area) learn from this mistake and learn to watch their speed,” Jones said.
At the candlelight vigil along the country road northwest of Fort Collins, friends played music and laid out pictures of the victims.
Jill Jackson, 19, of Fort Collins was overwhelmed at the number of friends who showed up to share stories and tears.
“If there is a silver lining to all this, it’s that it brought all these people together,” Jackson said.
The Mustang belonged to Ragan, but all occupants were ejected and authorities didn’t know who was driving.
Derek Jones was a private contractor who grew up in Fort Collins and graduated from Rocky Mountain High School in 2003, Fred Jones said. He was planning on enrolling at Front Range Community College in January.
Ricke, whose family moved to the area from Wichita, also planned on enrolling at Front Range and wanted to become a forest ranger, his father, Gregory Ricke, said.
Derek Jones spent his last day chopping wood with his father and grandfather and eating homemade beef and noodle soup at his grandparents’ home.
Fred Jones said he was in the shower when his son hollered to him that he was going for a drive with friends.
“His last words to me were, ‘I love you, Dad; see you later,”‘ Fred Jones said.
Staff writer Manny Gonzales can be reached at 303-820-1537 or mgonzales@denverpost.com.
