COMMERCE CITY (KDVR) — Two brothers operating an ATV in a Commerce City neighborhood are recovering after police said they rammed into a parked truck over the weekend.

Joanna Small with Commerce City Police said the two boys, ages 9 and 13, were rushed to the hospital Sunday afternoon with serious injuries. The 13-year-old has been released, but police say the 9-year-old is still in the hospital.

The crash happened in the Eagle Creek neighborhood.

“These kids were very young and of course, that’s jarring to come up on a scene and see such severe injuries. It’s hard for anybody to see that,” Small said. 

She said ATVs and UTVs (utility task vehicles, like Gators) are not street-legal. The law requires any operator to be at least 10 years old with a special permit or license. Small said those between the ages of 10 and 16 must be monitored by a licensed driver.  

“We want kids to have fun, absolutely,” Small said. “There’s plenty of ways to do that without riding an ATV in a neighborhood.”

Neighbors in the area tell FOX31 this illegal activity has been an ongoing issue and hope something will change.   

“Everyone is upset about it,” one neighbor said. “It’s a very nice neighborhood, and when all of these carts are going on weekends, you can’t even have your windows open because of the noise. The speeds are atrocious and frightening.”

Police urge neighbors to report any illegal activity by calling 911.