Nine people were killed in a head-on collision in West Texas, including six students and a coach from the University of the Southwest golf teams, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety via Associated Press. Police say a pickup truck crossed the center line of a highway Tuesday night and crashed into a vehicle carrying the University of the Southwest men’s and women’s golf teams who were returning from a tournament in Midland, Texas.ย
Sgt. Seven Blanco says six students and a faculty member were killed along with the driver of the pickup truck and its passenger. Two students were taken by helicopter to a Lubbock hospital in critical condition. “It’s a very tragic scene,” Blanco said. “It’s very, very tragic.” On Wednesday, the University of Southwest released a statement on the accident.
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“The USW campus community is shocked and saddened today as we mourn the loss of members of our university family,” the school said. “Last night, the men’s and women’s golf teams were traveling back to camps from competition in Midland Texas, when their bus was struck by oncoming traffic. Nine passengers, including the coach, were on the university bus involved in the fatal accident. While the accident investigation is still underway, reports indicate that seven passengers aboard the bus were killed in the crash.ย
“USW is coordinating with the Texas DPS to assist with the investigation and public information efforts. University administration is communicating with families of the students and coaching staff to provide more information as it becomes available. …Please keep the families of students, coaching staff and the USW community in your prayers as we come together and support one another during this difficult time.”
The University of theย Southwest is located in Hobbs, New Mexico, and the enrollment is a little over 1,000 students. In a statement to the Associated Press, university president Quint Thurman said, “We are still learning the details about the accident but we are devastated and deeply saddened to learn about the loss of our students’ lives and their coach.
The golf teams were scheduled to play in a tournament at Midland College in Texas. Midland College said Wednesday’s play would be canceled because of the crash. “All of the players and their coaches from the participating schools met together early this morning,” Midland College athletic director Forrest Allen said in a statement, per ESPN. “We were all shocked to learn of this tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers are with USW as they grieve this terrible loss.”
