Oliver Ball-Reed, 13, of Hebron, Indiana dies after crash at Steel Wheels BMX in Hobart
A 13-year-old boy from Hebron, Indiana died from injuries he got after crashing on a BMX track in Hobart over the weekend, officials said.
The Lake County, Indiana, Coroner's Office said 13-year-old Oliver Ball-Reed was hurt while riding Sunday afternoon. He was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in Hobart where an emergency room doctor pronounced him dead just before 10 p.m. The coroner's office was called to the hospital shortly before 10:30 p.m.
The coroner's office said they determined he died of multiple blunt force injuries and ruled his death an accident. They said Hobart police and firefighters and the Portage Fire Department all responded to the crash.
Steel Wheels BMX in Hobart also posted a statement to their social media on Ball-Reed's death, writing that they are mourning his loss after he "sustained critical injuries at the track on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026."
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to his parents, Mary and Phil, as well as his younger brother Ellis, with whom he raced alongside for the past eight years. We are all gutted by this horrible tragedy and will be doing everything we can to support Oliver's family as they navigate this sudden and shocking loss," they wrote on their Facebook page.
Officials have not released details about what exactly caused Ball-Reed's injuries and death, nor any other circumstances of this incident.
Steel Wheels BMX describes itself as a volunteer, non-profit organization providing BMX racing and riding opportunities in Northwest Indiana. According to their website, they were founded in 2000 by a group of parents who "wanted a place for our kids to ride their bikes in 'extreme' fashion in a safe environment.'"
They have two UABMX approved tracks; the track in Hobart is an indoor track, while an outdoor track called Imagination Glen Outdoor is in Portage, Indiana.