Mexican College Golfer Among the Deceased Following the Texas Crash That Killed 9
A Mexican college golfer was among the nine fatalities of Tuesday's Texas crash between a pickup truck and a van, authorities confirmed to Associated Press on Thursday.
The fiery collision in West Texas involved a 13-year-old Texas boy driving the pickup truck, his father, members of the college golf team, and their coach.
One of the deceased was identified as the Mexican college golfer, Mauricio Sanchez.
The 19-year-old golfer from the University of Southwest was onboard a Ford Van with their coach Tyler James, who was also killed in the Texas crash, per New York Post.
On Thursday, the Mexican Golf Federation sympathized and extended their sympathies to Sanchez's family and friends.
"The Mexican Golf Federation mourns the sensitive passing of Mauricio Sánchez López, a member of the University of the Southwest golf team and the Pulgas Pandas Golf Club," the federation underscored.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) identified the other victims of the Texas crash as Travis Garcia, 19, from Texas; Jackson Zinn, 22, from Colorado; Karissa Raines, 18, and Laci Stone, 18, both from Texas; and Tiago Sousa, 18, from Portugal, AP reported.
Also killed were the passengers of the pickup truck, Henrich Siemens, 38, from Texas; and the unidentified 12-year-old who was with Siemens on the truck.
Meanwhile, two Canadian golfers, who were also in the van, survived the crash but were critically injured. AP identified the survivors as Dayton Price and Hayden Underhill, who are both from Ontario, Canada. The two were reportedly taken to University Medical Center in Lubbock.
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Texas Crash: 'Both Vehicles Burst Into Flames' - NTSB
The Texas crash occurred on Tuesday in a rural road located about 30 miles east of the New Mexico state line, per AP.
Reports noted that the golf team that suffered the most casualties was traveling in a 2017 Ford transit van towing a box trailer. The said college golfers from the University of Southwest were on their way home from a golf tournament on Tuesday night.
However, a 2007 Dodge 2500 pickup suddenly crashed into the van. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) spokesman Eric Weiss on Thursday told AP that the van and pickup truck burst into flames when it collided.
Officials noted that the pickup truck was driven by a 13-year-old. It can be recalled that in Texas, individuals must be at least 15 years old to receive a provisional license. DPS Sgt. Victor Taylor pointed out that the 13-year-old driver would be breaking the Texas law, per AP.
Authorities also noted that the unnamed Texas boy was driving the pickup truck on a spare tire before it blew out and crashed on the van carrying the college golf team, according to the Post.
It was also unclear how fast the two vehicles were traveling, but Landsberg said that the Texas crash on Tuesday was "clearly a high-speed collision."
To date, the Texas crash remains under investigation.
Texas Boy Driving the Pickup Truck Accidentally Set His House on Fire - Source
Meanwhile, a family friend claimed that the 13-year-old Texas boy who drove the pickup truck set his house on fire before Christmas, according to The Daily Mail.
The family friend, identified as Agenetha Siemens, which was not related to the Texas boy, said that the 13-year-old burned down his family's home after leaving eggs on the stove unattended.
"I couldn't imagine going through all that and then having this happen... It's just so sad," The family friend said in an email to The Daily Mail.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written By: Joshua Summers
WATCH: 13-Year-Old Drove Pickup in Texas crash, 9 Killed - From Associated Press