Emergency audio reveals the moment first responders arrived at the scene of the fiery Tesla crash that claimed the life of University of Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominic Ponder early Sunday.
“The driver is unconscious, not breathing,” a responder tells dispatchers around 3:10 a.m. — about 10 minutes after the initial call about the single-car crash in Boulder.
Ponder died at age 23 early Sunday after losing control of his 2023 Tesla Model 3, according to the Colorado State Patrol.
Cops said it was “suspected” that speed was a factor in the crash.
The accident occurred when the beloved midfielder, who was heading west on Baseline Road, attempted to take a chicane right turn – but swerved the vehicle into the eastbound lane, before hitting a guardrail.
CSP said in a press release on Sunday that the Tesla hit a power line pole and then rolled into an embankment, where it caught fire.
A devastating audio recording obtained by The Post reveals the moments first responders learned of the crash — and what they found at the tragic scene.
“Check route to Baseline and Newland Court due to a transformer on fire,” a dispatcher can be heard saying over Boulder County Sheriff and Fire Radio at 3:01 a.m.
Two minutes later, the dispatcher said witnesses called about a “glow” over the scene — which the dispatcher said could have been the result of the vehicle on fire.
“Baseline, Newland, Baseline and Newland are responding to what we now believe to be a car accident causing a transformer to explode,” the dispatcher said.
“Many RPs advise that they can see a glow from it.”
“We now have an update that the car itself is on fire,” she added moments later.
About 10 minutes later, a responder reported finding Ponder.
“There’s only one person so far in the driver’s seat,” he says.
“The car’s not on fire. We’ll try to get it out too.”
But just a few minutes later, the firefighter came back on the radio.
He says: “The driver is unconscious and not breathing.”
At 3:23, another first responder made a distressing announcement.
“That would be obvious death,” he said over the radio.
Ponder — a sophomore from Opa-locka, Fla., who attended Bethune-Cookman University before transferring to the Buffs — died at the scene.
He was beloved by his coaches at Colorado, a number of whom took to social media in the wake of his death.
“Please God, my dearest Ponder family, friends and loved ones. Dom was one of my favorite people!” Colorado coach Deion Sanders Written on X. “He was loved, respected, and a natural leader. Let us pray for all who knew him and had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord, you receive good 1. Comfort us, Lord, comfort us.”
A representative for the office told The Post that Ponder’s body was transported to the Boulder County Coroner’s Office where an autopsy will be performed.
Police said on Monday that the incident was still under investigation.