13-year-old behind the wheel in West Texas crash that killed 9
SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — The National Transportation Safety Board has reportedly revealed the 13-year-old victim in the fatality crash late Tuesday that killed 9 people.
NTSB Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg told the Associated Press a 13-year-old boy was driving the pickup truck that veered across the center lane of a remote two-lane road in Andrews County and struck a passenger van head on. The van was transporting the University of the Southwest men and women’s golf teams, and head coach.
According to Landsberg, the pickup truck’s left front tire, which was a spare, blew out before the crash which he described as a “high-speed collision.”
Six students, the coach, and both occupants of the pickup truck died. Two students are recovering after being life-flighted to a Texas hospital.
The students killed have been identified by DPS as Travis Garcia, 19, of Pleasanton, Texas; Karissa Raines, 21 of Fort Stockton, Texas; Laci Stone, 18 of Nocona, Texas; Jackson Zinn, 22 of Westminster, Colorado; Maurico Sanchez, 19 of Mexico; and Tiago Sousa, 18 of Portugal. Golf coach James Tyler, 26 of Hobbs, New Mexico, was also killed in the crash.
The 13-year-old has not been identified and the other occupant of the truck has been identified as Henrich Siemens, 38 of Seminole County, Texas.
According to DPS, Texas drivers are not eligible to start classroom driving courses until 14 years old and can obtain provisional licenses at 15 years old.