Juvenile charged in Douglas County ‘car surfing’ incident

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

After what law enforcement has publicized as a case of “car sur ng” in Douglas County, a juvenile has been formally accused of crimes related to the incident.

Car sur ng involves riding on the outside of a moving vehicle being driven by another person. e activity is “incredibly dangerous” and the consequences can be fatal, the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce said in a news release.

e local district attorney’s o ce announced on Twitter in early June that a juvenile is facing charges of “vehicular homicide-reckless driving,” “vehicular assault-reckless” and “reckless endangerment.” at’s according to the DA’s o ce for Colorado’s 18th Judicial District, which covers Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties. e case arose out of a May 5 rollover crash on Quarry Road near Finn Avenue in the Lone Tree where a teenage passenger died. e sheri ’s o ce initially issued a May 30 news release that referred to what it called “the recent death of a teenager due to ‘car sur ng’ in Douglas County.”

In response to questions from Colorado Community Media, the sheri ’s o ce declined to specify whether the teenager who died was one of the passengers who was leaning out of a window. e wording of the news release online had not been changed as of June 11. e sheri ’s o ce again declined to comment on the question June 9. e DA’s o ce on Twitter also referred to the situation as a “deadly ‘car sur ng’ case.”

A spokesperson for the DA’s ofce declined to comment on the circumstances of the car crash.

Two passengers were injured in the May 5 crash. One, a 16-year-old, who later died. Witnesses reported seeing two passengers in the back seat outside the car’s windows, according to the sheri ’s o ce. ( ere were four people in the car.)

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to the victim’s family and friends during this unimaginably di cult time,” the sheri ’s o ce said in the news release.

Not ‘worth sacrificing your life’ e sheri ’s o ce has urged the public to be aware of car sur ng in Douglas County.

In recent weeks, Douglas County sheri ’s deputies have responded to six calls involving “youngsters” engaging in that behavior, according to the May 30 news release.

Recently, the sheri ’s o ce’s rst report related to car sur ng came in on April 17.

“Prior to that, our tra c sergeant said he had not had a single report of this behavior in years,” said Deborah Takahara, a spokesperson for the sheri ’s o ce.

“Most of these cases involved juveniles, teenagers,” Takahara said on May 31. “We did learn yesterday of (one) case involving two people in their early 20s who were stopped by deputies.” e six reports had been spaced out over the past six weeks, Takahara said.

“No thrill or adrenaline rush is worth sacri cing your life or the lives of your friends or family members,” the sheri ’s o ce said in a news release.

Drivers can face criminal charges

Sheriff’s personnel urged the public to remember that drivers can face serious criminal charges, including the following: reckless driving, various seatbelt violations depending on the age of passengers, permitting a person to hang on or attach themselves to the outside of a vehicle, permitting a passenger to ride in an unsafe manner, reckless endangerment, thirddegree assault, vehicular assault or vehicular homicide.

A person not riding correctly could face a charge of “person hung on/attached themselves to the outside of vehicle,” according to the sheri ’s o ce.