Division I college quarterback killed in car crash at 23

DENVER (KDVR) – Dominiq Ponder, a backup quarterback for the University of Colorado Boulder, was killed in a car crash early on Sunday morning. "God please comfort the Ponder family, friends & Loved ones. Dom was one of my favorites!" wrote CU Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders in a post shared to X. "He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us." Scott Procter, a CU football reporter for DNVR Buffs, said in his own post that Ponder was killed in a single-vehicle crash. "RIP Dominiq Ponder. The Colorado QB passed away in a single-car accident. Tragic news on the eve of spring ball," Procter wrote. On March 1, around 3 a.m., the Colorado State Patrol responded to a deadly crash involving a single vehicle in Boulder County, according to a press release from the agency. CSP confirmed that the victim of the crash was Ponder, who was driving a 2023 Tesla Model 3. Investigators said that Ponder lost control on a right-hand curve, crashing into a guardrail. The vehicle continued through the guardrail and crashed into an electrical line before rolling down an embankment and catching fire. Ponder was pronounced dead at the scene. Ponder was a 23-year-old, third-year sophomore from Florida who spent two years at CU after transferring to the university from Bethune-Cookman University in Florida. He played for the Buffs in two games last season. CU is set to start spring training in Boulder on Monday. CSP's Vehicular Crimes Unit is investigating the crash, and stated that speed is being considered as a factor.