Two 10-year-old children riding together on an e-bike were critically injured Thursday afternoon when a southbound car struck them at the intersection of 63rd Avenue North and Brooklyn Drive in Brooklyn Center. Brooklyn Center Police said one child suffered life-threatening injuries, while the other was listed in critical condition, and the driver is cooperating with investigators.
The crash happened around 3 p.m. near Centennial Park, a neighborhood hub known for its community gardens and recreational trails, according to the City of Brooklyn Center. As reported by KARE 11, the crash remains a developing situation, with authorities continuing to release information as the investigation unfolds. Early police updates described the vehicle involved only as a motorbike carrying two children, without specifying their ages or direction of travel.
Those additional details later emerged in reporting from FOX 9, which identified the vehicle as an e-bike and confirmed both riders were 10 years old, heading in the path of the southbound car. The station also reported that the Minnesota State Patrol and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office were called in to assist Brooklyn Center Police with scene investigation and crash reconstruction, underscoring the severity of the collision.
Age Limits and Legal Questions
The e-bike detail raises questions about legal compliance that investigators have not yet addressed. Under Minnesota Statute 169.222, a person must be at least 15 years old to legally operate an electric-assisted bicycle on public roadways, per the City of Bloomington. Minnesota law separately governs motorized foot scooters under Statute 169.225, which requires operators to be at least 12, bars carrying passengers, and mandates helmets for anyone under 18.
It remains unclear which of the two children, if either, was operating the e-bike, whether the vehicle met the legal definition of an e-bike or a foot scooter, or whether protective gear was used. Police have not said whether age restrictions or other traffic violations are being considered as contributing factors in the crash.
A Pattern Across the Northwest Suburbs
Thursday's crash adds to a troubling run of youth micromobility incidents across Minneapolis's northwest suburbs this summer. In July, an 8-year-old boy was killed when a pickup truck struck his electric scooter at Candlewood Drive and Brunswick Avenue in neighboring Brooklyn Park, a crash in which the driver remained on scene and cooperated with investigators. Weeks later, two juveniles were injured when their e-bike collided with a vehicle along Brooklyn Park Parkway, a crash that sparked local debate over youth safety and state micromobility rules.
The numbers suggest the danger is growing statewide. A joint study by MnDOT and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, cited by BikeMN, found 514 hospitalizations linked to e-bike injuries between October 2023 and March 2025 across 140 Minnesota hospitals, with children under 15 accounting for 12% of those injuries. Minnesota also recorded 26 motorcycle traffic fatalities through mid-June 2026, a 117% jump over the same period in 2025, according to the City of Eden Prairie.
A Street Already Redesigned for Safety
The intersection where Thursday's crash occurred has already seen efforts to slow traffic. In 2015, Brooklyn Center completed roadway modifications along 63rd Avenue North, narrowing curb lines and adding medians and bump-outs specifically intended to reduce vehicle speeds near the park-adjacent corridor, according to GreenStep Cities. Despite those changes, the stretch has now been the site of a life-threatening collision involving two children.
No further details about the children's conditions, the driver's identity, or potential charges have been released. Brooklyn Center Police have not indicated when additional updates on the investigation will be shared.
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