A Foley, Minn., teenager died and a second teenager was hospitalized from injuries they suffered Thursday in an all-terrain vehicle crash in a Benton County neighborhood, authorities said.

The crash happened shortly after 7 p.m. on Raven Loop Northeast in a housing development on the edge of Duelm, which is east of St. Cloud, said Sgt. John Cruze of the Benton County Sheriff's Office.

The ATV was driven by an 18-year-old woman, with a 19-year-old woman as her passenger. Both were from the Foley area. The ATV left the road and stuck a tree, injuring both riders. Neither was wearing a helmet. The driver was taken by ambulance to a St. Cloud Hospital, while the passenger was taken by helicopter to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale, where she died. The womens' names were withheld, pending notification of family members.

The accident remains under investigation. Cruze described the roads in the residential area as narrower than the average street. There were at least two witnesses, who were interviewed by investigators. Cruze said he did not know how fast the ATV was going, or whether a helmet would have saved the passenger.

"It's really hard to say until we get all this mapped out," he said.

Seventeen people ranging in age from 13 to 94 died riding all-terrain vehicles in Minnesota last year, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Another 280 were hurt. In 2007, 14 people were killed.

Although helmets are not required, the DNR strongly recommends them for ATV riders.

Anyone 16 or older who wants to ride an ATV legally on public land must complete an independent study ATV safety training course, while youth ages 11-15 must take the course plus a riding test. Training is not mandatory for riding on private land. DNR officials said most ATV riders have not completed a DNR safety course.

Abby Simons • 612-673-4921