Mother of CU Football Player Pushes to Prevent Another Tragedy After Son's Death

Autopsy finds Dominiq Ponder's blood alcohol content was more than double the legal limit at time of fatal crash.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 2:55am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a shattered car windshield or broken car sensor, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually illustrating the aftermath of a tragic impaired driving incident.A mother's grief turns to purpose as she launches a foundation to prevent impaired driving tragedies like the one that claimed her son's life.Boulder Today

Catrina Hughes, the mother of University of Colorado Boulder football player Dominiq Ponder, is speaking out after her son's death in a single-car crash near campus. An autopsy report found Ponder's blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit at the time of the incident. While acknowledging her son's poor decision, Hughes is now channeling her grief into launching the 722 Foundation to encourage young people to make safer choices and avoid impaired driving.

Why it matters

Ponder's death highlights the ongoing issue of impaired driving among young adults, especially college students. Hughes' decision to start a foundation in her son's name aims to raise awareness and promote safer behaviors to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

The details

Ponder, a 23-year-old backup quarterback for the CU Boulder football team, died in the early morning hours of March 1 after a single-vehicle crash on Baseline Road, just 1.3 miles from his home. The newly released autopsy report found his blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit at the time of the crash. While acknowledging her son's poor judgment, Hughes says she is grateful the crash did not involve anyone else. She has now launched the 722 Foundation to encourage young people to make better decisions and avoid impaired driving, including speaking engagements at colleges and high schools.

  • Ponder died in the early morning hours of March 1, 2026.
  • The autopsy report was recently released.

The players

Dominiq Ponder

A 23-year-old backup quarterback for the University of Colorado Boulder football team who died in a single-car crash near campus.

Catrina Hughes

The mother of Dominiq Ponder who is speaking out about her son's death and launching the 722 Foundation to prevent similar tragedies.

Colorado State Patrol

The law enforcement agency investigating the crash and examining multiple possible factors, including speed, distraction, and impairment.

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What they’re saying

“If somebody would have told me, 'Oh, your son is going to drink and drive?' I would have told you till I was blue in the face, 'Never in a million years.'”

— Catrina Hughes, Ponder's Mother

“I mean, honestly, he should have known better. It's just a bad decision.”

— Catrina Hughes, Ponder's Mother

“With all the ride share programs that we have, it just should have never happened.”

— Catrina Hughes, Ponder's Mother

What’s next

The Colorado State Patrol is continuing to investigate the crash and has said it is examining multiple possible factors, including speed, distraction and impairment. Authorities have not officially determined the cause.

The takeaway

Ponder's tragic death highlights the ongoing issue of impaired driving among young adults, especially college students. Hughes' decision to start the 722 Foundation in her son's name aims to raise awareness and promote safer behaviors to prevent similar tragedies in the future, emphasizing the importance of making responsible choices and utilizing available transportation alternatives.