NTSB: 13-year-old drove truck in lethal faculty golf workforce crash
HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — Nationwide Transportation Security Board Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg mentioned Thursday {that a} 13-year-old was driving the pickup truck that struck a van in West Texas in a fiery collision that killed 9 folks.
The truck’s left entrance tire, which was a spare tire, additionally blew out earlier than affect, Landsberg mentioned.
One should be 14 in Texas to begin taking classroom programs for a learner’s license and 15 to obtain that provisional license to drive with an teacher or licensed grownup within the automobile. Division of Public Security Sgt. Victor Taylor mentioned a 13-year-old driving can be breaking the regulation.
Though it was unclear how briskly the 2 automobiles had been touring, “this was clearly a high-speed collision,” Landsberg mentioned.
The pickup truck crossed into the alternative lane on a darkened, two-lane West Texas freeway Tuesday night time earlier than colliding head-on with a van, killing 9 folks together with six New Mexico faculty college students and a golf coach, in addition to a 13-year-old boy.
The College of the Southwest college students, together with one from Portugal and one from Mexico, and the coach had been coming back from a golf event. Additionally killed in Tuesday night’s fiery crash was a person within the pickup with the boy. Two Canadian college students had been hospitalized in vital situation.
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board despatched an investigative workforce to the crash web site in Texas’ Andrews County, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) east of the New Mexico state line.
The golf groups had been touring in a 2017 Ford Transit van that was towing a field trailer when it collided with the truck, and each automobiles burst into flames, in response to NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss.
He mentioned the automobiles collided on a two-lane asphalt freeway the place the velocity restrict is 75 mph (120 kph), although investigators haven’t but decided how briskly both automobile was touring.
The Texas Division of Public Security recognized the deceased as: Golf coach Tyler James, 26, of Hobbs, New Mexico; and gamers Mauricio Sanchez, 19, of Mexico; Travis Garcia, 19, of Pleasanton, Texas; Jackson Zinn, 22, of Westminster, Colorado; Karisa Raines, 21, of Fort Stockton, Texas; Laci Stone, 18, of Nocona, Texas; and Tiago Sousa, 18, of Portugal.
Additionally killed had been Henrich Siemens, 38, of Seminole County, Texas, and an unidentified 13-year-old boy who had been within the 2007 Dodge 2500 pickup. Texas Division of Public Security Sgt. Steven Blanco mentioned Thursday that investigators haven’t but confirmed who was driving both automobile due to the severity of the crash and the fireplace that occurred afterward.
Critically injured aboard the van had been Canadian college students Dayton Value, 19, of Mississauga, Ontario, and Hayden Underhill, 20, of Amherstview, Ontario. Each had been taken by helicopter to the College Medical Heart in Lubbock, about 110 miles (180 kilometers) to the northeast.
“They’re each steady and recovering and on daily basis making an increasing number of progress,” College of the Southwest Provost Ryan Tipton mentioned Thursday of the 2 injured college students.
Underhill’s brother Drew mentioned their mother and father, Ken and Wendy, flew to Texas.
“Hockey was an enormous a part of life for some time, however his true ardour is golf,” Drew Underhill mentioned. “From a small city in Ontario, he’s doing OK.”
The Mexican Federation of Golf posted a web-based notice of condolence to the family members of Mauricio Sanchez.
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Sousa was from Portugal’s southern coast, the place he graduated from highschool final summer season earlier than heading to varsity within the U.S., mentioned Renata Afonso, head of the Escola Secundária de Loulé.
“Any faculty can be delighted to have had him as a scholar,” she mentioned.
Stone’s mom wrote of her loss on Fb Wednesday.
“She has been an absolute ray of sunshine throughout this quick time on earth,” Chelsi Stone mentioned in a submit. “We are going to by no means be the identical after this and we simply don’t perceive how this occurred to our superb, lovely, sensible, joyful lady.”
Stone graduated in 2021 from Nocona Excessive College, the place she performed golf, volleyball and softball. She was a freshman majoring in international enterprise administration, in response to her biography on the golf workforce’s web site.
James’ mom, June James, mentioned she knew little concerning the circumstances of the collision. He coached the boys and the ladies.
“We don’t know what occurred. It’s an enormous investigation. We don’t have any concept as of but,” James mentioned throughout a short telephone interview.
Crew member Jasmin Collum had been scheduled to play however on the final minute determined as an alternative to go to her mother and father in Houston, her mom mentioned.
“We knew all these folks on board,” Tonya Collum mentioned. “Mainly the entire workforce is gone or within the hospital.”
The College of the Southwest is a personal, Christian faculty situated in Hobbs, New Mexico, close to the state line with Texas.
A memorial was arrange Wednesday on the course close to campus the place the workforce practices. There have been flowers, golf balls and a home made signal with a cross and the initials USW.
“It’s the very least we may to for the gamers, and naturally Coach James,” mentioned Rockwind Neighborhood Hyperlinks Supervisor Ben Kirkes.
“These youngsters had been nice youngsters and so they had been nice, nice neighborhood members,” Kirkes mentioned.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham mentioned on Fb that she is “deeply saddened” by the lack of life.
“It is a horrible accident. As we await extra data from authorities, my prayers are with the neighborhood and the family members of all these concerned,” she mentioned.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott additionally expressed sympathy.
“We grieve with the family members of the people whose lives had been horrifically taken too quickly on this deadly automobile crash close to Andrews final night time,” Abbott mentioned.
The groups had been collaborating in a golf event at Midland School, about 315 miles (505 kilometers) west of Dallas.
“We’re nonetheless studying the small print concerning the accident however we’re devastated and deeply saddened to be taught concerning the lack of our college students’ lives and their coach,” College President Quint Thurman mentioned in a press release.
The college said on Twitter that counseling and spiritual companies can be out there on campus.
Midland School mentioned Wednesday’s play can be canceled due to the crash. Eleven colleges had been taking part within the occasion.
“All the gamers and their coaches from the taking part colleges met collectively early this morning,” Midland School athletic director Forrest Allen mentioned in a press release Wednesday. “We had been all shocked to be taught of this tragedy, and our ideas and prayers are with USW as they grieve this horrible loss.”
Editor’s Be aware: If you want to make a donation to these affected by the College of the Southwest bus accident, please go to GoFundMe.
