Child was driving pickup truck that struck golfers’ van in Texas, killing 9: NTSB

A 13-year-old boy was driving a pickup truck that struck a van in Texas and killed 9 individuals — together with six New Mexico faculty golfers  — in a fiery crash, authorities mentioned Thursday

The boy, recognized in a Day by day Mail report as Ricky Siemens, was driving illegally on a spare tire earlier than it blew out and the truck slammed head-on right into a van carrying golfers from the College of the Southwest Tuesday night time, mentioned Nationwide Transportation Security Board vice chairman Bruce Landsberg.

Ricky Siemens, 13, was driving the truck when it blew a tire and crashed into an oncoming bus.

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Henrich Siemens along with his spouse, Aggie Siemens.

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The teenager and his 38-year-old dad, Henrich Siemens — who had been heading to choose up a brand new automotive — additionally died within the collision, in accordance with authorities and Siemens’ heartbroken widow.

“They had been going to choose up a automotive that [Siemens] purchased. I used to be purported to see him about two hours later,” she mentioned, including they left round 8 p.m.

The crash killed faculty golfers Mauricio Sanchez, 19, Travis Garcia, 19, Jackson Zinn, 22, Karisa Raines, 21, Laci Stone, 18, and Tiago Sousa, 18. 

Coach Tyler James was among the many 9 killed.

The College of the Southwest

Their coach, Tyler James, who was driving the Ford van, was additionally killed.

Dayton Worth, 19, and Hayden Underhill, 20, the 2 survivors of the crash, are in secure situation, officers mentioned.

“This was clearly a high-speed collision,” Landsberg mentioned, including it was unclear how briskly the automobiles had been touring.

The reason for the crash had not been decided Thursday however cops have ordered toxicology and different forensics reviews, Sgt. Steven Blanco of Texas DPS informed The Submit.

Texas legislation requires motorists to be not less than 15 years outdated to obtain a provisional license and not less than 14 earlier than they will take lessons to get a learner’s license.

The faculty’s Ford Transit van was carrying 9 individuals and towing a field trailer whereas heading again from a golf event in Midland, the place each the ladies’s and males’s groups had been competing.

The accident stays beneath investigation.

With AP wires

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(Clockwise from high left) Tiago Sousa, Karissa Raines, Laci Stone, Mauricio Sanchez, Jackson Zinn and Travis Garcia all died within the crash.

College of the Southwest

The pickup truck on the scene of the deadly wreck on March 16, 2022.

AP

The Nationwide Transportation Security Board introduced that it was a 13-year-old illegally driving the truck that struck the van.

Eli Hartman/Odessa American through AP

A memorial for the victims of the crash on the Rockwind Neighborhood Hyperlinks in Hobbs, New Mexico.

AP Photograph/John Locher