Loved ones speak on 16-year-old killed in mini-bike crash at Dublin and Union Blvd.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A 16-year-old boy has died after a mini-bike crash at a busy northeast Colorado Springs intersection. Police are now sharing new details about what happened.

It happened the evening of June 15 at the intersection of Dublin Boulevard and Union Boulevard. Colorado Springs Police say the teen was riding southbound on Union when he entered the intersection against a red light and collided with a car heading east on Dublin.

He was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, but died five days later.

His mother confirmed to KRDO13 that the teen was her son, Drake Grammer.

Those close to Grammer say the mini-bike was something he’d been proud to fix up and ride.

"It was his grandpa’s, I believe," said family friend Lani Hodge. "And he fixed it up and was taking it out."

"He panicked and was distracted and didn’t see the car and the car didn’t see him," Hodge added.

She says Drake had already survived something traumatic once - a shooting just last fall - and had fully recovered.

"He amazingly pulled through that," she said. "And it was just like... why couldn’t he pull through this?"

A small memorial now sits at the corner of Dublin and Union with flowers, candles, and messages from friends.

"Be aware of your surroundings," Hodge said. "Wear protective gear as much as you can."

As of Monday, police have not announced any charges. Officers also say that mini-bikes are not street-legal in Colorado Springs and not permitted on public roadways.

This is the city’s 18th traffic fatality of 2025. At the same time last year, there had already been 30.