13-Year-Old Was Driving Truck That Killed 9, Including 7 on USW Golf Team

Authorities say a 13-year-old was behind the wheel in a fiery car crash that left nine people dead, including student-athletes of a New Mexico college. 

According to CNN, the collision occurred Tuesday night in West Texas, where a pick-up truck collided into a van carrying the University of the Southwest’s men’s and women’s golf teams. The crash resulted in the deaths of golf coach Tyler James, as well as players Mauricio Sanchez; Travis Garcia, 19; Jackson Zinn, 22; Karisa Raines, 21; Laci Stone; Tiago Sousa, 18, of Portugal. Authorities say the 13-year-old driver was also killed, along with the truck’s passenger, Henrich Siemans, 38.

The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed two student-athletes—identified as Dayton Price, 19, and Hayden Underhill, 20—survived the crash and were transported to a Lubbock hospital in critical condition. 

“One of the students is eating chicken soup,” University of the Southwest Provost Ryan Tipton told CNN. “I spoke with the parents and they are there with them and they are recovering every day. It’s a game of inches and every hour leads to them one step closer to another day… There is no indication as to how long it’s going to take but they are both stable and recovering and every day making more and more progress.”