Tragedy struck this past Tuesday night in West Texas near the border of New Mexico, as a fiery crash led to the deaths of 9 people.
Of those killed, 6 were student golfers associated with the University of the Southwest (USW), a Christian school in Hobbs, NM. Two students survived the ordeal with critical injuries, but the golf coach and two people within the other vehicle, a pickup truck, ultimately perished in the accident.
Once an investigation began being conducted, authorities determined that the cause of the accident was the pickup truck’s front-left tire, a spare, failing and sending the vehicle towards the USW van. Both cars are estimated to have been going “close to the posted speed limit of 75 mph” on the 2-lane roadway.
“It was very clearly a high-speed, head-on collision between two heavy vehicles,” National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said.
Further investigation revealed that the pickup truck was being operated by a 13-year-old, accompanied by a 38-year-old man named Henrich Siemans, at the time of the crash. Because the minor has not been publicly identified, it’s unclear what relation they have with each other. However, many have begun presuming that it was likely a parent teaching his child how to drive, given the known circumstances.
Underage, behind the wheel: A 13-year-old was driving a pickup that struck a van on a West Texas road, killing nine people. Here's why so-called "youthful driving" is so dangerous. https://t.co/hECvzjvBjc
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 18, 2022
In response to the tragedy, USW has started a donation campaign to help support the victims and their families.
“Our institution is crushed and broken but strong,” Paula Smith, the university’s VP for Financial Services, said.
“These aren’t the kind of things that you ever even dream of happening. And they shouldn’t happen,” USW Provost Ryan Tipton added. “For any of you that have lost a loved one or a member of your family, it’s the same feeling here. They’re not only students and coaches. They are loved ones to us. They are members of our family here on campus.”
The people who lost their lives in the crash are Karisa Raines, Mauricio Sanchez, Tiago Sousa, Laci Stone, Jackson Zinn, Travis Garcia, Tyler James, Henrich Siemans, and the unidentified 13-year-old child. USW students Hayden Underhill and Dayton Prince remain in critical condition and are “recovering every day.”
