The vehicle left a residential road in Grand Junction late Saturday, and investigators are examining whether speed contributed to the crash.
GRAND JUNCTION, CO — Five 17-year-old boys were killed after the vehicle they were riding in left a road and plunged down a steep hillside in western Colorado late Saturday, authorities said.
The crash happened along Lookout Lane in a residential area of Grand Junction. Police said the vehicle had been traveling south when it went off the roadway and descended the steep incline. All five teenagers, who were residents of Grand Junction, were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators are examining speed as a possible factor, but authorities have not announced a final cause of the crash.
Grand Junction police were dispatched at about 7:45 a.m. Sunday after receiving a report that a vehicle may have driven over the edge of a cliff. CBS Colorado reported that a passing driver spotted the wreckage and called 911. Emergency crews reached the area and found the crashed vehicle on the hillside. The collision is believed to have happened during the late hours of Saturday, Aug. 8.
Police said the vehicle was near 2694 Lookout Lane when it left the roadway. The area is in Orchard Mesa, south of central Grand Junction. First responders used ropes to reach the crash site, according to CBS Colorado. Personnel from the Grand Junction Police Department, Grand Junction Fire Department, Mesa County Search and Rescue and the Mesa County Coroner’s Office took part in the recovery operation.
The Mesa County Coroner’s Office said three of the teenagers, including the driver and front-seat passenger, were wearing seat belts. Two other occupants were not wearing seat belts and were ejected from the vehicle. Authorities said all five boys died from injuries sustained in the crash.
The coroner’s office has not publicly identified the teenagers. Officials said the names are being withheld under the office’s policy concerning minors. Authorities have not released additional information about the boys or said whether they attended the same school.
The deaths came just before the start of the school year in Mesa County. CBS Colorado reported that Mesa County Valley School District planned to have resources available for students and staff as classes resumed Tuesday. Grand Junction police also said its victim services unit was providing support following the deaths.
“Our hearts are heavy following the tragic losses this weekend,” the Grand Junction Police Department said. Police have not announced evidence establishing exactly why the vehicle left the road, and no final determination has been made about the role speed may have played.
The investigation remains active. Police have said speed is being considered as a possible contributing factor, but further findings about the circumstances leading to the crash had not been released as of Tuesday.
Author note: Last updated August 11, 2026.