DENVER -- Arvada police are investigating the death of a 17-year-old skateboarder who was being pulled by a Jeep and was killed when he let go and was hit by another vehicle.

Arvada police said the skateboarder was holding onto the passenger side door of a random Jeep Wrangler on the street and he rode on his long skateboard down Oak Street. When he released his grip, Austin Ayers was struck by the Jeep and thrown to the pavement, police said. He was taken to St. Anthony's Hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Police did not release the name of the Jeep driver.

Arvada police spokeswoman Susan Medina said Ayers did not know the driver of the Jeep and detectives are investigating why and how the teenager grabbed onto the car.

The collision happened in the 6500 block of Oak Street Sunday just after 12:30 p.m.