Authorities have identified the six college golfers who were killed, along with their coach, in a horrific crash when their school van collided with a pickup truck in Texas.
The University of the Southwest golfers who were killed Tuesday night include: Mauricio Sanchez, 19, Travis Garcia, 19, Jackson Zinn, 22, Karisa Raines, 21, Laci Stone, 18, and Tiago Sousa, 18, the report said.
Their coach Tyler James – who was entering his first season as head coach of the men’s and women’s golfing program at the college in Hobbs – was identified earlier.
James had been at the wheel of the van at the time of the crash, officials said.
“This will be a huge hurdle that we will all have to overcome, and it will be a very difficult time for many,” said Steve Appel, the university’s Director of Athletics. “USW is a tight-knit family, and I am confident we will work together to get through this.”
One of the two other victims who were inside the pickup truck involved in the head-on wreck on SH 115 and 1788 was also identified Wednesday night by the Texas Department of Public Safety, NewsWest9 reported.
The driver of the pickup truck has been identified as Henrich Siemens, 38. His passenger, an unidentified 13-year-old boy, also died in the tragic crash.
The college has received an outpouring of condolence messages from their fellow collegiate golfers and even former pro-golfer Sir Nick Faldo.
“Such a sad and tragic loss after what was meant to be a fun, exciting trip,” Faldo wrote on Twitter.
Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Steven Blanco said the crash occurred on the two-land road about nine miles from the city of Andrews, northwest of Midland-Odessa.
The National Transportation Safety Board planned to send a 12-member “go team,” including experts on vehicle and motor carrier factors, to the crash site for accident reconstruction Wednesday, agency spokesman Eric Weiss said.
With Post wires