14-year-old Colorado boy hurt after police say he took parents' car and caused serious crash in Commerce City

A teenage boy who was too young to legally drive was behind the wheel of a sedan that investigators believe caused a serious crash in Adams County on Tuesday morning. That's according to Commerce City police, who said the boy was a 14-year-old and is now in the hospital along with three other boys who were in the car with him. 

It happened at approximately 8:30 a.m. near the intersection of 88th Avenue and Dahlia Street.

Police spokeswoman Joanna Small said the boy, 14, and his younger brother, 12, were in the front seat of the car, which was registered to their parents out of Thornton. Small said those adults "didn't realize that the kids were taking the car." A 14-year-old and 16-year-old were in the backseat. 

Their car was traveling westbound on 88th when it hit a guardrail and veered into oncoming traffic. It then struck a minivan head on and the sedan plummeted into a creek.

Two adults, a mother and daughter, were inside that minivan. They both were taken to the hospital with what were described as serious injuries. The teenagers' injuries were also serious.

"The one who was driving has the most serious injuries. We believe his injuries are critical and the other kids  have a range of injuries," said Small.

Investigators believe the teens were likely not wearing seatbelts and were thrown from the car. 

Police believe speed was a factor in the crash. A witness said it looked like the sedan was going 100 mph before it crashed in the 45 mph zone.

"Speeding in and around our city is a huge problem and if that's all that played a factor here, that's enough," said Small. "Seatbelts, seatbelts, seatbelts, no matter where you are sitting in that car, you're not going to end up outside that car if you're wearing a seatbelt."

Small said the 14-year-old could face charges, but it's not expected the parents will because they didn't know that their child was taking the car.

Police issued an update saying that the teen is expected to survive, but is still in critical condition.