A 15-year-old boy has died after he was hit by the car he was hanging on to while skateboarding Wednesday in Arvada.

The 16-year-old driver of the car, described by acquaintances as the best friend of the dead teen, could face serious charges.

The skateboarder was taken to a local hospital on Wednesday afternoon following the incident.

He died early Thursday morning, Arvada police spokeswoman Susan Medina said.

The boy's name hasn't been released, pending notification of relatives.

The incident happened about 1 p.m. Wednesday at about the west 12100 block of West 85th Avenue.

Arvada police said the boy had been hanging on to a Ford Mustang being driven by the older teen. But something went wrong and the car ran over the skateboarder. The teen wasn't wearing a helmet.

Arvada police are investigating the speed of the car and why or how the teen let go of the door prior to being struck, Medina said.

The 16-year-old driver's family are members of Christ Community Covenant Church in Arvada, where church members are praying for him, and for the dead teen.

The driver had often invited the victim to church services there, Senior Pastor David Scheerer said.

"We're looking for appropriate ways to respond to both families," Scheerer said. "Both families are of course devastated."

It's the second death in Arvada in four months involving a skateboarder towed by a car.

In early October, Austin Ayers, 17, died after he was hit by a Jeep Wrangler that had been pulling him in the 6500 block of Oak Street.

According to police, Austin held onto the Jeep's passenger side door or window, while aboard a long skateboard.

After Ayers let go of the Jeep, he was struck by the car. He was hurled to the pavement and suffered fatal injuries.

In June 2007, 18-year-old Colin McEuen was charged with careless driving resulting in death for allowing another 18-year-old to cling to his jeep while aboard a skateboard on South Windemere Street in Littleton.

John Nicolette, 18, died when he fell off his skateboard and suffered head injuries.