Officials ID high school junior who died in SUV crash on gravel road near Jordan

Officials have released the identity of the teenager who died in a single-vehicle crash near Jordan.

Benjamin Camacho, 16, suffered numerous injuries in the wreck that occurred on May 25 about 8:40 p.m. in the 18000 block of Valley View Drive in Sand Creek Township, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office said.

The SUV was heading south on a gravel section of the road, where the driver lost control on a curve and hit the anchor cable to a utility pole, the Sheriff's Office said.

Camacho did not have on a seat belt and was thrown from the vehicle as it rolled onto its side, the Scott County Sheriff's Office said.

The driver, a 17-year-old boy from Jordan, and two other 16-year-old boys in the SUV — one from Jordan and the other from Shakopee — were wearing seat belts and survived their injuries, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Camacho's death while not wearing a seat belt "is a painful reminder of the importance of this simple safety measure," said Sheriff Luke Hennen one day after the crash. "I urge parents to have open and honest conversations with their teens about the importance of driving safely and always wearing seatbelts."

The Sheriff's Office said in a statement that once an investigation into the crash is complete, "this case will be sent to the Scott County Attorney's Office for review of charges."

School district officials said Camacho was a junior at Jordan High School. Principal Jeff Vizenor said in a note to district families that "Ben was a student that brought energy and a smile through the hallways. He was growing into a great young man and will be missed."