Teen killed in Colorado crash remembered as family receives long-awaited answers

Nearly six months after 16-year-old Maximus Munro was killed in a head-on crash in Colorado, his family is finally getting answers and turning their grief into a message of prevention and kindness.

At the crash site in Frederick, a memorial still stands. Flowers, energy drinks, and handwritten notes from friends have remained there for months, marking the spot where Maximus lost his life.

His mother, Brenda Munro, and sister, Shelby Crowder, say the loss has forever changed their family.

"My brother will definitely be remembered for the way he made people feel — goofy, silly, making everyone laugh — but when it mattered, he was always there for you," Crowder said through tears.

For months, the family had questions about what caused the crash. Now, the Frederick Police Department has released a report revealing that the other driver, Melendez Forero, was driving under the influence of drugs when he attempted to pass on a two-lane road at approximately 80 miles per hour. He struck Maximus head-on. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene.

"It was determined the other driver was high on drugs. A high amount found; the kind often seen in accidental overdoses," Brenda Munro said. "This wasn't an accident. It could've been prevented. That's the worst part: this should've never happened."

Despite the heartbreak, Brenda Munro says she's finding ways to honor her son's memory through acts of kindness.

"Random acts of kindness — buying someone coffee, cooking a meal for a friend — that's one way I share his love and light," she said.

As she continues to heal, Brenda Munro has a powerful message for others: "Call an Uber. Have a friend come pick you up. It is not worth it. Maximus is everything to me. This should not have happened."