A man killed last month by a suspect who was fleeing police had great love for others, according to a family spokesman.
Brian Gleason, 49, of Thornton, was gentle and soft-spoken but had wicked timing, said longtime friend Lisa Kowalik.
“His sense of humor and wit were unmatched,” she said. “There were no comebacks to his one-liners.”
Gleason and his wife, Susan, had two children, 12-year-old Mollee and 15-year-old Daniel. Gleason also had a 32-year-old daughter, Beth, and a grandson.
His wife was too overcome with grief to make a statement at a press conference today, according to Kowalik.
Aurora police say Antwan Gatlin, 26, of Denver, was fleeing police on July 31 when he crashed into two cars.
The incident began when a woman telephoned police to say she had been fighting with her boyfriend. She said he was outside her apartment in the 15500 block of East 12th Avenue in his car. He had a gun, she told police.
Officers found Gatlin was wanted on a warrant for domestic violence, said police spokesman Bob Friel. Gatlin also was out on parole for a robbery, and had previously served prison time for careless driving.
Officers pulled over Gatlin’s gray Dodge Intrepid, but he then fled. Police briefly chased him, then stopped.
Gatlin ran a red light and smashed broadside into a minivan driven by Gleason in the intersection of Smith Road and Chambers Street.
Another vehicle was damaged in the accident, but the driver was not hurt.
Investigators are seeking charges against Gatlin, including vehicular homicide and eluding police.
Today police declined to answer questions about Gatlin’s current status, including whether he’s been released from the hospital.
At today’s press conference, Kowalik said Gleason’s family is grateful to those who were with him in his final moments, including some co-workers.
Gleason was a service manager for H.G. Makelim, a company that makes small industrial engines.
The company has established a fund on its website, , to help pay for medical care for Gleason’s daughter, Mollee, because she has an ongoing health problem and the family now has no medical insurance.
“He was a hard-working, dedicated man, who wanted only the best for his family,” Kowalik said.
Gleason loved to go to the mountains and camp, and he and his family were planning a trip to Ireland within the next two years.
Staff writer Simona Gallegos can be reached at 303-954-1555 or at sgallegos@denverpost.com.
Staff writers Nick Martin, Manny Gonzales and Kieran Nicholson contributed to this report.
