DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — An Aurora family is grieving the loss of their 16-year-old son who died in a rollover crash in Highlands Ranch Friday night.
Another passenger was killed in the one-vehicle crash that occurred in the 9600 block of S. University Boulevard near Highlands Heritage Park around 9 p.m.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said all three people in the car were ejected, two of them were pronounced deceased at the scene.
Family members identified one of the victims as Tavion Daniels, a student at Rangeview High School in Aurora.
"My son was a lovable person. He wanted to be everybody's friend," said Tavion's father, Darius Daniels. "I lost my son. It's like I lost half of my soul."
Daniels said his son was on his way home to Aurora after attending a barbecue with his football team at the Highlands Ranch park.
The sheriff's office said the car was traveling at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control, went over an embankment and crashed into a tree.
Daniels said Tavion was a passenger in the vehicle.
"He was supposed to be going with his grandpa the following morning to go to the car shows," Daniels said.
He adds that he doesn't know what could've happened in the moments leading up to the crash and said he did what he could to advise his son to always be safe.
"I was trying to really prevent my son, from this happening. I just told him to be aware of his surroundings. And it's kind of crazy that my son dies two weeks later after I'm telling them this," he said.
Tavion's aunt, Benese Thomas, said she and her nephew were extremely close and he had dreams of playing for the NFL.
"He was a tremendous football player," Thomas said. "He had everything ahead of him."
Officials declined to release additional information about the other victims, saying it's all still under investigation.
This is leaving Tavion's family members with several unanswered questions.
Daniels said he still has not been able to see his son.
"It's kind of hurting me a lot worse because I don't know what type of condition my son is in. What was his last words?" he said. "I will never sit here and see my son again. So it kind of hurts a little deep."
