Colorado Teen Dies After Being Taken to Hospital Nearly an Hour After 'Horrific' Crash

GREELEY, Colo. (AP) -- A 16-year-old boy died of injuries from an SUV rollover after his companions called a friend to pick them up instead of an ambulance, authorities said.

Aaron Bonilla of LaSalle died after he was rushed into surgery for a lacerated liver Thursday at North Colorado Medical Center, authorities said.

He and another injured teen arrived at the hospital about an hour after the wreck, after five other teens were first dropped off at their homes, State Patrol Sgt. Dennis Schenkenberger said.

The other teen was treated for minor injuries and released. One of the teens who was first taken home was later taken to the hospital by ambulance because of suspected internal injuries, Schenkenberger said. Her condition was unavailable.

Seven teens were in the Lincoln Navigator when it rolled on a rural Weld County road. One called a friend to come help, Schenkenberger said.

``It was a lapse in judgment. They had a cell phone to call their friend (to pick them up). They could have called for a professional to care for their injured at the scene,'' he said.

The driver, a 17-year-old from Platteville, was arrested on suspicion of careless driving causing death, leaving the scene of an accident involving death, failing to notify authorities and driving without a valid license.

He was being held at the Platte Valley Juvenile Detention Center.

Tracy Davis reported the abandoned SUV to authorities when she saw it after dropping her daughter off at her high school. Someone at the hospital also called the state patrol to report that teens injured in a car accident were being treated.

Four of the teens were wearing seat belts but Bonilla and two others, who were riding in the back, were not and were ejected, Schenkenberger said.

``If they had been wearing seat belts, this could have been prevented,'' he said. ``It's a horrific, horrific accident.''