Teen killed in ‘car surfing’ incident, officials warn the activity is dangerous, illegal
Courtesy of Douglas County Sheriff's Office
In early May, a teen died in a rollover crash after reportedly hanging out of the car’s window, an incident law enforcement is calling “car surfing.”
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office refers to “car surfing” as “riding on the outside of a moving vehicle being driven by another person,” according to a DCSO news release.
The incident, one of several similar ones seen by Douglas County deputies in the past few months, happened on Quarry Drive, east of Finn Avenue on May 5.
The area is near Bluffs Regional Park Trail in Lone Tree.
One of the occupants, a 16-year-old, was critically injured and later died, according to the release.
Witnesses reported seeing the back seat passengers hanging out of the car’s windows, according to the release.
Over the past several weeks, deputies have responded to six calls involving young people “car surfing,” according to the release.
One such incident happened on April 17, when a deputy saw two teenagers sitting on a car’s roof while the car was going over 55 mph on C-470 near South Quebec Street.
No thrill or adrenaline rush is worth sacrificing your life or the lives of friends and family, DCSO said in the release. They offered the following points to keep in mind.
- Life is precious and reckless activities like car surfing can have irreversible consequences.
- Never succumb to peer pressure or feel compelled to engage in dangerous activities for the sake of fitting in or seeking a thrill.
- If you notice someone planning or participating in car surfing or any other dangerous stunts, speak up and report it to the appropriate authorities or a trusted adult.
- Share the message that car surfing is dangerous with family and friends
- Drivers can face serious criminal charges.
“Our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of each and every one of you,” Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said in the release. “Please remember to stay safe, make responsible choices, and encourage others to do the same. We need to work together to prevent future tragedies.”




