JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Ruben Kelsey, 16, died Sunday morning in a single-vehicle crash of a stolen SUV on Arlington at Rogero Roads, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Two 14-year-olds were hospitalized with critical injures.
Investigators said that the Honda Pilot the three teens were in was stolen from a Mandarin neighborhood on Saturday. It appears the car had been reported stolen about 11 hours before the crash.
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JSO investigators said it doesn't appear alcohol was involved. They believe the teens were just joyriding.
The driver, who has not been identified, was heading north on Arlington Road at a high speed at 4:20 a.m. when he attempted to turn onto Rogero Road without slowing down.
The car swerved over the median and onto the side of the road, striking a concrete barrier and utility pole. At that time, police said, the car broke apart and all three occupants were thrown from the car.
One died at the scene and two others were taken to UF Health Jacksonville. The two injured have since been upgraded to critical but stable conditions.
Police say it's been difficult to identify the teenagers since they are not old enough to have a driver's license.
As far as liability goes, News4jax crime analyst Gil Smith says it’s hard to say whether the teens' parents could be held responsible.
"It's hard to say at this point whether they would have any liability," Smith said. "It depends on what the kids were doing or what they thought they were doing."
Rogero Road between Arlington Road and Commerce was closed while police investigated the crash. News4Jax will update this article when more information becomes available.