Two young men and a boy were killed when they went off-road and vaulted into a gully that rolled their vehicle over in a field Wednesday afternoon just north of Golden.
Authorities identified the victims as Stephen L. Sweet, 20, the driver of vehicle, and Jacob Payte, 28, also of Golden, who was a passenger.
The other passenger in the vehicle was a 15-year-old Golden boy, whose identity was withheld because he’s a juvenile, Colorado State Trooper Gilbert Mares said.
The accident happened about 2 p.m. on Highway 93 near Highway 58.
The three youths were in a 1988 Toyota 4-Runner that was traveling northwest through tall, grassy terrain off Highway 93, near a housing area, when it came upon the gully, Mares said.
The vehicle vaulted within the gully and flipped over onto its top.
All three aboard were not wearing seat belts and were ejected from the SUV, Mares said.
The vehicle apparently left an access road and was cutting cross-country when it flipped over, Mares said.
Alcohol, drugs and speeding are unknown factors at this tmie pending further investigation, Mares said.
