COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — A 14-year-old boy was likely speeding when he struck a guardrail, veered into oncoming traffic, and hit a minivan Tuesday morning on East 88th Avenue, according to Commerce City Police.
The teen was driving a red vehicle west on East 88th Avenue near Dahlia Street around 8:20 a.m. when the crash happened.
“The vehicles when you look at that it’s amazing anyone survived,” Joanna Small a spokesperson for the Commerce City Police Department said. “It’s pretty terrifying. They’re obviously both totaled and that sedan had the hood stripped off ,the windshield shattered in and it was submerged in water you know it had to be pulled out of that ditch.”
Authorities believe the car the teenagers were in was registered to a parent out of a home in Thornton. Police do not know if the parents knew the teenagers had the car at the time of the crash. Investigators believe the 14-year-old driver and a 12-year-old front seat passenger are brothers. There were two additional teenagers in the back, one 14-years-old and a 16-year-old. Police do not know their relationship with the driver at this time.
Two women in the minivan were taken to the hospital with serious injuries but are expected to be OK.
Police believe speeding may have contributed to the crash. They told 9NEWS the wreck served as a reminder to always wear a seatbelt.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are doesn’t matter where you’re sitting wear your seatbelt, your chances of survival, reducing your chances of injury are much higher if you follow that simple rule and it’s the law anyway,” Small added.
Authorities said they were witnesses to the crash that are helping with the investigation. If the 14-year-old driver does survive Small said he could face a vehicular assault charge.
In the initial aftermath of the crash, an off-duty Denver firefighter and a Northglenn Police officer helped remove several victims from the water, according to South Adams Fire.
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