9 dead in west Texas crash involving bus carrying University of the Southwest golf teams

A pickup truck crossed the middle line of a two-lane highway in Andrews County, about 30 miles east of the New Mexico state line on Tuesday night and crashed right into a bus carrying members of the College of the Southwest males’s and girls’s golf groups, mentioned Sgt. Steven Blanco of the Texas Division of Public Security.

Six college students and a college member have been killed within the crash, together with the motive force and a passenger within the pickup truck, Blanco mentioned. Two college students have been taken in important situation by helicopter to a hospital in Lubbock, about 110 miles to the northeast.

Initially, in a publish on Fb, the College of the Southwest mentioned the school member killed was the golf coach, Tyler James.

“It is a very tragic scene,” Blanco mentioned. “It’s totally, very tragic.”

The state company later recognized the remaining deceased as: 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.

Additionally killed have been Henrich Siemans, 38, of Seminole County, Texas, and an unidentified 13-year-old boy who had been touring with him in a 2007 Dodge 2500 pickup.

Critically injured aboard the van have been Canadian college students Dayton Worth, 19, of Mississauga, Ontario, and Hayden Underhill, 20, of Amherstview. Ontario. Each have been taken by helicopter to the College Medical Middle in Lubbock, about 110 miles (180 kilometers) to the northeast.

Jasmin Collum, a local of Clear Lake, is a freshman golfer on the College of the Southwest, however was not on the bus when it crashed. Her mom, Tonya, mentioned she was at house within the Houston space when the incident occurred.

The Nationwide Transportation Security Board will ship a 12-member “go crew” to the crash website, together with consultants in human efficiency, automobile and motor provider components and accident reconstruction, company spokesman Eric Weiss mentioned. The crew is anticipated to reach late Wednesday afternoon or early night, he mentioned.

The College of the Southwest is a personal, Christian faculty positioned in Hobbs, New Mexico, close to the state’s border with Texas.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham mentioned on Fb that she is “deeply saddened” by the lack of life.

“This can be a horrible accident. As we await extra data from authorities, my prayers are with the neighborhood and the family members of all these concerned,” she mentioned.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued an announcement on the bus crash saying, “Please be part of Jan and me in prayer for all the victims of final night time’s horrific bus crash involving the College of the Southwest males’s and girls’s golf groups outdoors Andrews, Texas. Our hearts exit to the households of the victims and the complete College of the Southwest neighborhood throughout this troublesome time. Throughout tragedies comparable to this one, Texans additionally know to thank our courageous first responders for his or her necessary work and dedication to Texas communities.”

The groups have been participating in a match at Midland Faculty, about 315 miles west of Dallas.

“We’re nonetheless studying the main points in regards to the accident however we’re devastated and deeply saddened to be taught in regards to the lack of our college students’ lives and their coach,” College President Quint Thurman mentioned in an announcement.

The college mentioned that it was working to inform relations of these concerned within the crash and that counseling and non secular providers could be accessible on campus.

Midland Faculty, which hosted the golf match, mentioned Wednesday’s play could be canceled due to the crash. Eleven colleges are taking part within the occasion.

“All the gamers and their coaches from the taking part colleges met collectively early this morning,” Midland Faculty athletic director Forrest Allen mentioned in an announcement Wednesday. “We have been all shocked to be taught of this tragedy, and our ideas and prayers are with USW as they grieve this horrible loss.”

The crash occurred in the identical space – however not the identical roadway – the place three individuals have been killed in November when a pickup truck crashed into a college bus carrying members of the Andrews Excessive Faculty band.

The highschool’s band director, the varsity bus driver and the motive force of the pickup truck all died in that crash.

The Related Press contributed to this report.