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911 calls detail tense time between crash and rescue of teens in Ogden Canyon

Posted at 10:02 PM, Jun 29, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-30 00:02:09-04

OGDEN, Utah -- 911 calls made after a crash in Ogden Canyon earlier this month that made national headlines have been released.

Four teens were sent to the hospital in critical condition, two of the teens were riding in the trunk.

One of those teens in the trunk was able to crawl out of the car and run up the hill to get cell service and call for help.

“I'm at the road. I just climbed up the hill. I'm at the road. Ma'am, all my family members are in the car,” the teen said calling dispatch, his cries for help echoing throughout Ogden Canyon.

“Guys! Guys! I don't know if any of them are alive. I don't know if any of them are alive ma'am, they're my family.”

The car the teens were in went off the road in Ogden Canyon crashing 120 feet down and landing in a tree.

“My family -- I can't lose my family.”

Seven teens were in the car but the teen making the call was one of the two teens riding in the trunk and he had no idea where they were.

“Ma'am we went down the canyon you're not going to be able to see us.”

Dispatch was able to track the cell phone but time and time again the teen asked for assurance.

“Promise me you know where we're at ma'am, promise me.”

"I know where you are, I know exactly where you are, ok?" the dispatcher said.

At first the teen could hear his friends and family still in the car.

Dispatch: "Can you hear any of them crying?"
Caller: “I can hear them, I can hear them yelling.”
Dispatch: "You can hear them yelling?"
Caller: “I can hear them yelling and screaming, yeah. Ma'am promise me you know where I'm at?”
Dispatch: "I know where you are ok? You're going to hear the sirens soon."

But minutes went by and the screams from the teens in the car stopped.

Caller: “Why is no one here?”
Dispatch: You're really far up in the canyon, bud, we're driving to you as fast as we can."
Caller: “I can't handle this right now.”
Dispatch: "Just take a deep breath, ok?"
Caller: “Ma'am I can't, I can't breathe.”

Almost twenty minutes into the call the teen went quiet.

Dispatch: "You've gotta keep your eyes open for me, ok?"
Caller: “I can't.”
Dispatch: "Keep your eyes open ok?"
Caller: "I can't no more ma'am I can't."

Then thirty minutes into the call:

Caller: “I need my mom to call me now I can't breathe”
Dispatch: "I know buddy."
Caller: “I just need to hear my mom’s voice please, please.”

Dispatch was able to get his grandmother on the phone.

Dispatch: "This is 911, there has been a traffic accident."
Grandmother: "What's wrong, what's wrong? Oh my God."
Dispatch: "Listen to me I need you to stay calm on this phone call because the reason I contacted you is to keep him calm."
Grandmother: "My grandson I love you so much mi hijo, you're going to be alright ok?"

The teen stays quiet listening to his grandma.

Grandmother: "Talk to grandma, talk to grandma. You know you're my guy. You're my champion, talk to me. You're grandma's champ, right? Alright. We're going to get through this."

Finally 33 minutes later the teen sees headlights.

Grandmother: "It's ok. Calm down. Calm down. You can hear the sirens? Can you hear the sirens my love? Huh?"

Family members say all but one of the teens is out of the hospital but that girl is making small improvements. Police are investigating but say it appears speeding caused the crash.
They don't believe drugs or alcohol were involved.