Miller County, MO – Miller County Sheriff’s Deputy Casey Shoemate was killed in the line of duty on Apr. 20, as he responded to a 911 call of a residential structure fire.

Deputy Shoemate, 26, was traveling southbound at approximately 5:50 p.m., when he attempted to pass a firetruck that was out on an unrelated call, a Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesperson said, according to The Kansas City Star.

Deputy Shoemate has his emergency lights and sirens activated as he attempted to go around the fire truck.

As the deputy pulled into the northbound lane on a no-passing section of the highway, his 2014 Dodge Charger collided with a 2017 Toyota 4Runner head-on, the Lake News Online reported.

Deputy Shoemate was pronounced dead at the scene, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Robert Levin, the 65-year-old driver of the Toyota, was transported to a hospital in Columbus by air ambulance. He was listed in serious condition, and was expected to undergo hip reconstruction surgery due to the injuries he sustained in the crash.

Investigators said that the deputy and Levin were both wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision, the Lake News Online reported.

Deputy Shoemate joined the Miller County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 3, 2017, and previously served with the Eldon Police Department and the Versailles Police Department.

“Casey was loved and respected by everyone he ever met,” his obituary read. “He had a presence about him that caused you to instantly want to be a part of his life.”

Deputy Shoemate leaves behind his fiancé, Kristina Engle, his 7-year-old son, Samuel, and his 3-year-old daughter, McKenzie, as well as an abundance of family members and friends, according to his obituary.

Deputy Shoemate was laid to rest on Tuesday.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Miller County Sheriff’s Deputy Casey Shoemate, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.

Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.