Child drives pickup truck and kills 9

A 13-year-old boy was driving a pickup truck that struck a van in Texas and killed nine people – including six college golfers – in a fiery crash.

A 13-year-old boy was driving a pickup truck that struck a van in Texas and killed nine people – including six New Mexico college golfers – in a fiery crash, authorities said Thursday

The unnamed boy was driving illegally on a spare tyre before it blew out and the truck slammed head-on into a van carrying golfers from the University of the Southwest Tuesday night, said National Transportation Safety Board vice chairman Bruce Landsberg.

The pickup truck struck a van in Texas and killed nine people. Picture: AP via New York Post

The 13-year-old driver and his 38-year-old dad Henrich Siemens - who were heading to pick up a new car - also died in the collision, according to authorities and Siemens’ heartbroken widow.

“They were going to pick up a car that [Siemens] bought. I was supposed to see him about two hours later,” she said, adding they left around 8pm.

The crash killed college golfers Mauricio Sanchez, 19, Travis Garcia, 19, Jackson Zinn, 22, Karisa Raines, 21, Laci Stone, 18, and Tiago Sousa, 18.

(Clockwise from top left) Tiago Sousa, Karissa Raines, Laci Stone, Mauricio Sanchez, Jackson Zinn and Travis Garcia all died in the crash. Picture: University of the Southwest

Their coach, Tyler James, who was driving the Ford van, was also killed.

“This was clearly a high-speed collision,” Landsberg said, adding it was unclear how fast the vehicles were travelling.

The cause of the crash had not been determined Thursday but cops have ordered toxicology and other forensics reports, Sgt. Steven Blanco of Texas DPS told The Post.

A memorial for the victims of the crash at the Rockwind Community Links in Hobbs, New Mexico. Picture: AP Photo/John Locher via New York Post

Texas law requires motorists to be at least 15 years old to receive a provisional licence and at least 14 before they can take classes to get a learner’s licence.

The college’s Ford Transit van was carrying nine people and towing a box trailer while heading back from a golf tournament in Midland, where both the women’s and men’s teams were competing.

The accident remains under investigation.

This article originally appeared in New York Post and has been reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Child drives pickup truck and kills 9