9 people were killed in the fiery, head-on collision, including 6 New Mexico university students and a coach returning from a golf tournament.
On Tuesday evening, a deadly crash in West Texas took the lives of nine people when a pickup truck crossed the centerline of a two-lane road and crashed into a van.
Authorities have identified those killed in the crash:
- Jackson Zinn, 22, of Westminster, Colorado
- Tyler James, 26, of Hobbs, New Mexico
- Maurico Sanchez, 19, of Mexico
- Travis Garcia, 19, of Pleasanton, Texas
- Karissa Raines, 21, of Fort Stockton, Texas
- Laci Stone, 18, of Nocona, Texas
- Tiago Sousa, 18, of Portugal
- A 13-year-old boy from Seminole, Texas
- Henrich Siemens, 38, of Seminole, Texas
According to Bruce Landsberg, vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, the pickup truck was driven by the 13-year-old boy. In Texas, 14-year-olds can begin taking classroom courses for a learner's permit; must be 15 to receive the permit and drive with an instructor or licensed adult in a vehicle.
Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Victor Taylor said a 13-year-old driving would be breaking the law.
The speed at which the two vehicles were traveling is unclear. However, Landsberg said, this was clearly a high-speed collision. The 2007 Dodge 2500 pickup truck's left front tire (a spare tire) blew out before impact.
Two other students were taken to the hospital in critical condition. "They are both stable and recovering and every day making more and more progress," University of the Southwest Provost Ryan Tipton said Thursday.
The University of the Southwest is a private Christian college located in Hobbs, New Mexico.
*This is an ongoing story and will be updated as more information comes out. Refresh for updates!