Three children riding together on a single mini bike collided with a car Sunday afternoon near Memphis Avenue and Jackson Street in Warren, leaving all three hurt and prompting a rush of neighbors to their aid before help arrived. Their injuries ranged from what appeared to be severe to relatively minor but still painful, and the exact cause of the crash remains unclear.
Don Coleman, who has lived in the Warren area for about 13 years and has a background in the medical field, told WXYZ 7 News Detroit that he heard tires screeching followed by children screaming for help. He ran toward the scene near Memphis and Jackson and found three children injured in what appeared to be a mini bike and car collision. Neighbors were already helping the kids by the time Coleman arrived, and he suspected one of the children may have had a broken bone.
A Neighbor Steps In
Coleman said he assisted a child with an injured leg and tried to keep the child from moving it further while they waited for help. According to the same account, he described the scene as chaotic but said neighbors in the area regularly look out for one another and keep an eye on the children who play there. Authorities have not released the conditions of the three injured children, and no additional crash details or potential citations have been provided as the investigation continues.
Scanner logs circulating locally on the day of the crash indicated that all three children riding the mini bike were transported for emergency care, according to a scanner post shared out of Warren. That detail lines up with Coleman's account of finding multiple injured children at the scene, though the precise cause of the collision still has not been determined.
Michigan Law Sharply Limits Mini Bike Use
The crash raises questions about whether the mini bike involved met the state's legal requirements. Under Michigan Vehicle Code MCL 257.658, the passenger-capacity restriction applies to bicycles and motorcycles, which may not carry more passengers than the number for which they were designed and equipped. Whether that provision applies to this mini bike, or how many riders it was designed to carry, is unclear.
Separately, mini bikes and off-road cycles generally cannot be operated on public streets in Michigan unless they meet state motor vehicle equipment standards, including headlights, taillights, a horn, and rearview mirrors, and are titled and registered through the Secretary of State, per Michigan Vehicle Code MCL 257.216. State regulations under the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act also require riders and passengers under 18 to wear a Department of Transportation-approved crash helmet and protective eyewear, according to MCL 324.81133.
Speeding and Cut-Through Traffic a Longtime Concern
Speeding has been a longstanding concern in the neighborhood, with drivers reportedly using residential streets to avoid traffic congestion on nearby roads, cutting through the area between Van Dyke, Sherwood, and Memphis avenues. A Warren resident on Reddit has also described speeding on side streets: a Warren resident on Reddit.
Frustration over motorized bikes in residential and pedestrian areas isn't new to Warren. In June, a petition submitted to Warren city officials pushed for a municipal ban on riding motorized bikes on public sidewalks after a resident reported that a visually impaired child had been struck outside his home by a motorized bike traveling 20 mph. The petition framed the issue as a sidewalk-safety concern for residents.
A Pattern Seen Nationwide
A Pattern Seen Nationwide The Warren crash fits into a broader national trend. A U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report found that children 14 and younger accounted for 36% of all micromobility-related injuries between 2017 and 2022 — double their 18% share of the general population. Nationwide, micromobility injuries and fatalities have been rising.
The Warren crash follows other recent mini bike incidents Hoodline has covered involving young riders, including a critical hit-and-run crash on Detroit's west side.
No citations or charges have been announced in connection with Sunday's crash, and authorities have not released updates on the conditions of the three injured children. The investigation into what caused the collision continues.
