Five 17-year-old boys from Grand Junction, Colorado, died late Saturday night when their vehicle plunged off a cliff along Lookout Lane, authorities confirmed Sunday morning. The Mesa County Coroner’s Office reported that all five victims were pronounced dead at the scene after the crash, which occurred just before midnight.
Police and firefighters responded to the 2000 block of Lookout Lane shortly before 8 a.m. Sunday after receiving a 911 call reporting a possible vehicle over a cliff. Upon arrival, responders located the wrecked car on a steep hillside below the roadway. The Grand Junction Police Department stated the vehicle was traveling southbound when it veered off the road and down the incline.
Speed is being investigated as a possible factor in the crash, which remains under active investigation, according to authorities. The Mesa County Coroner’s Office confirmed that three of the five teens were wearing seatbelts—including the driver and front-seat passenger—while the other two were ejected from the vehicle and were not buckled in.
The identities of the victims have not been released by authorities, as they are minors under Colorado law. However, local reports and social media posts identified one of the victims as Braden Taylor, 17, whose grandfather confirmed his death in a public statement. The families of the victims have been notified, and the community is rallying around those left behind as the new school year begins.
The crash occurred in a residential area of Grand Junction, a city in western Colorado. First responders from multiple agencies worked to recover the victims from the steep terrain. The Mesa County Coroner’s Office stated that all five died from injuries sustained in the crash.
Authorities have not publicly identified the driver or provided further details about what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway. The investigation is ongoing, with officials reviewing vehicle data and witness statements to determine the cause of the crash.