A 32-year-old Parker man decked out in a World War I soldier’s uniform was fatally injured in a vehicle collision Saturday night following a Memorial Day commemoration when someone crashed into his stalled World War II vintage Jeep in Aurora.

Although authorities have not named the crash victim, friends and family identify him as Malachi Springer, a war reenactor who was driving home at the time.

“He was definitely a soul trapped in the wrong era,” said Rick Crandall, president of the Colorado Freedom Memorial foundation, which built a glass memorial for Colorado war veterans near Buckley Air Force Base.

Springer was driving home when the 1942 Ford Jeep, which he called “Max,” vapor-locked and stalled on South Aurora Parkway near South Alexander. Another vehicle crashed into the Jeep at 3:16 p.m., causing it to roll on top of Springer, according Aurora police and acquaintances.

“We believe he was waiting for the Jeep to cool off at the time of the crash,” said Celia Morrissey, a close friend of Springer’s. Temperatures had reached into the 90s on Saturday afternoon.

Morrissey said Springer had prepared for months, spending thousands of dollars to get the Jeep ready for the Colorado Freedom Memorial’s 5th Anniversary commemoration Saturday morning. The memorial lists the names of more than 6,000 Coloradan veterans killed or missing in action on glass panels.

Springer was the consummate historian who was attending Pickens Technical College in Aurora to learn how to machine vintage war vehicle parts so that he could work at a war museum, Morrissey said Monday.

“His passion and life’s work centered around history, especially military history, and serving veterans. He was a man who easily crossed between the decades of the 20th century with his dress and mannerism as easily as one might cross a room,” Morrissey said. “Malachi always dressed impeccably for every occasion, even when working on an old car or when employed as a custodian.”

Springer was a star at vintage best-dressed contests, she said. She recalls him twirling women around during dances on stage.

“One of them said that he made her feel like Ginger Rogers, and he was Fred Astaire as he reached for her hand with his beautiful tailored white gloved hand, wearing his 1930s tuxedo and top hat,” Morrissey said.

Springer has for many years collected U.S. war memorabilia including guns, uniforms, a WWII air raid siren and a battlefield mobile dark room.

“He has a room in his home that is amazing,” Morrissey said.

He bought the Jeep about seven years ago, Morrissey said. He would drive the Jeep wearing a leather WWII field jacket in the middle of winter, she said.

“It was so exhilarating driving in the Jeep. We used to sit inside and imagine what it must have been like for troops driving the Jeep on battle fields. It doesn’t have a very good suspension. It was pretty bumpy,” she said.

Springer had brought a soldier’s helmet, a WWI battlefield Bible, two 1918 newspapers announcing the end of the First World War, and a pop-up museum of battlefields to Saturday’s Memorial Day weekend event.