In the weeks since her 13-year-old son died after a crash on a rented Veo e-bike, Tiffany Winston has turned her grief into a public fight over how Denver oversees these new two-wheeled fixtures on its streets. Her son, Dequan Harris, was struck by a vehicle while riding a Veo e-bike on May 7 and died on June 10 after more than a month in the hospital. Winston says she hopes that by telling her son's story, she can spare other parents from the same kind of loss.
According to a Denver Police Department report and family accounts, the collision happened as Dequan crossed West Colfax Avenue near Knox Court. The report says the driver had a green light while the e-biker crossed against the signal. Dequan spent 35 days in the hospital before he died on June 10, his mother told reporters, details that were recounted by Denver Gazette.
Mother Says Sign-Up Was Too Easy
Winston has zeroed in on how quickly her son was able to get access to the e-bike. She told reporters that creating an account took "under three minutes," a simplicity she called dangerous when minors can so easily tap into vehicles built for public streets. "My baby was robbed of his life over something that can be prevented," she said in an interview. Her account of Dequan's life and the memorial held for him was reported by Denver Gazette.
Age Checks Rely On The Honor System
Veo's sign-up flow requires riders to confirm they are 18 years old, but local reporting has found that the company mostly depends on users to tell the truth instead of verifying ages with an ID. Denverite reported that the city has not mandated age checks, even as schools and parents have raised alarms about underage riders using the bikes and scooters near campuses. Veo has rolled out slow-ride geofences around schools, but critics say enforcement is inconsistent at best.
Rollout Timing And Legal Status
Veo became Denver's sole micromobility vendor under a three-year contract and began rolling out bikes and scooters on May 1, as reported by Colorado Sun. As Westword reported, the fatal collision involving Dequan happened six days after that launch, and police say the driver is not facing criminal charges in the crash.
Local Numbers And Company Response
Numbers from a local hospital highlight what is at stake. Denver Health recorded 1,868 patient encounters related to scooter and similar device injuries in 2025, a figure cited by Westword. Veo has said it is "deeply saddened" and that "safety is our highest priority" while it gathers information and cooperates with law enforcement, according to that reporting. Advocates say that putting young riders, busy arterials and patchy rule enforcement together is a recipe that demands clearer rules from both operators and city officials.
Winston says she will keep pressing for change, from stricter age verification to tougher enforcement where sidewalks and crosswalks meet heavy traffic. She hopes her son's death will spur the city and the company to act before another family gets the same call. For now, her private heartbreak has become a very public plea for safer streets.
