Community Chat

[Kachina624]

@hckynutjohn   They just mentioned on TV here that the speed limit was 75mph.  If both vehicles were going at least that fast, it would be like hitting a brick wall at 150mph

[hckynutjohn]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@hckynutjohn   They just mentioned on TV here that the speed limit was 75mph.  If both vehicles were going at least that fast, it would be like hitting a brick wall at 150mph

@Kachina624 

Wholy ******! A 2-lane highway 75mph!  He!! the interstates I drive going to the ice rink are both 65mph, and they are 4 to 6 lanes each direction.

While I believe "speed" can kill, but in this case?  While it surely made it much worse, it wasn't the cause of the wreck. 

Thank you for the info.

hckynut   🇺🇸

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[qualitygal]

That's horrible and so sad.  Why don't people realize that upon impact, a car is a killing machine!!  It's not a tank.  

[MorningLover]

Condolences to the families of those that died. Was the "at fault" driver one of the dead?

YES , The two occupants in the Dodge 2500 pickup died.

HOBBS, N.M. (AP) — Nine people have died in a fiery, head-on collision in West Texas, including six New Mexico university students and a coach returning from a golf tournament, as well as the 13 year old driver of the pickup and a 38 year old male passenger, authorities said.

The state agency later identified the deceased as: Golf coach Tyler James, 26, of Hobbs, New Mexico;

and players 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.

Also killed were Henrich Siemans, 38, of Seminole County, Texas, and an unidentified 13-year-old boy who had been traveling together in the 2007 Dodge 2500 pickup.

Two Canadian students were hospitalized in critical condition.

Dayton Price, 19, of Mississauga, Ontario, and Hayden Underhill, 20, of Amherstview, Ontario. Both were taken by helicopter to the University Medical Center in Lubbock.

The golf team was traveling in a 2017 Ford Transit van that was towing a box trailer when it collided with the truck, and both vehicles burst into flames. It happened on a two-lane asphalt highway where the speed limit is 75 mph, though investigators have not yet determined how fast either vehicle was traveling.

[Kachina624]

They haven't mentioned this on any news report, but I heard a transcript of the original 911 call when the operator dispatched first reponders.  She distinctly mentioned that her caller had mentioned two vehicles racing.

I imagine the NTSB will jump all over this in their investigation.

[gwiz]

The NTSB has announced that a 13 year old was driving the truck involved in this crash.

[FiddleDeeDee]

@Kachina624  It's interesting how, depending on the news source, what info you receive....  I did NOT know they were driving at night/in the dark. The few articles I read stated it was early evening which I took to mean the sun was still out (it is till almost 9 where I am and I wonder about Texas as well).

As of an hour or so ago,  I heard that the driver of the truck was a 13 year old child/teen.  Being honest, back in the day on the farm, we did this. I was able to drive farm machinery at 11 because you had to. Driving a truck was no big deal. I passed my DE test at 16 with flying colors because I knew how to drive courtesy of my Daddy.

To be out driving at NIGHT and on a major highway, however.....no Ma'am. That we were NOT allowed to do until we had a full drivers licence. So, was his father unable or unwilling to drive? Maybe he wanted the boy to get night driving experience? Who knows but it proved to be a deadly mistake. So sad.

[Linmo]

In addition to a 13 year old driving the truck, the NTSB also determined that one of the front tires on the truck was a spare and blew out before the crash.

[Kachina624]

@FiddleDeeDee    It happened about 8:15pm, when it was fully dark.  In my 35 years living in Texas, I often heard friends and co-worker mention having been drivers at an early age, although, it's definitely illegal.  I supposed its fairly common everywhere in largely rural areas.

I haven't heard anyone mention what the relationship was between the man in the pick-up and the boy.  Both killed.

[cody2]

I read that the truck was on fire before it hit the other vehicle. Maybe the child lost control of truck when blown tire started a fire and he ran into oncoming traffic? Tragic loss, however it happened.