17-year-old seriously injured in southern Colorado rollover crash

A 17-year-old was seriously injured in a rollover crash that happened shortly after noon Tuesday near Rocky Ford.

According to Colorado State Patrol, the teen was driving a sedan west on Otero County Road EE (MAP) when it lost control and ran off the road. The car then hit a fence and flipped over once before stopping in a field.

The driver, who wasn’t wearing a seat belt, was thrown about 14 feet from the vehicle and taken to a hospital in La Junta with serious injuries. The teen wasn’t identified.

CSP says a passenger was wearing a seat belt and wasn’t reported injured.

According to the state patrol, excessive speed is believed to be a factor in the crash.