NTSB: DNA testing shows 13-year-old boy was not behind the wheel in USW crash

ANDREWS COUNTY, Texas — The National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report has decided that the 13-year-old boy was not behind the wheel throughout the deadly crash involving golfers from the University of the Southwest. 

After reviewing the DNA testing outcomes supplied by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the NTSB report states that the 38-year-old father was truly the one behind the wheel on March 15.

“Evidence collected to date in our investigation indicates the driver of the pickup in this crash was a 38-year-old man and not the 13-year-old male as originally reported at the time of the crash,” Robert Molloy, NTSB’s director of the Office of Highway Safety stated.

NTSB’s post-crash toxicological testing additionally revealed that the father behind the wheel had the presence of methamphetamine in his blood. 

On March 17, NTSB initially acknowledged that the driver of the pickup truck that brought on the crash was the 13-year-old boy based mostly on information supplied at the moment. 

Additionally, the NTSB stated it has not discovered any proof of sudden or speedy lack of tire air stress or every other indicators of catastrophic failure of the truck’s entrance left tire presently.

The crash resulted in the dying of each the 13-year-old boy and 38-year-old father in addition to seven members of the University of the Southwest golf workforce (one coach and 6 gamers). Two different golfers have been severely injured. 

NTSB held a digital media press convention with Molloy on Thursday.

Molloy acknowledged that the 13 12 months outdated was initially reported as the driver as a result of the injury to the car and the post-crash fireplace made it troublesome for NTSB to get the full image.

When requested if the division had issued an apology to the households for the authentic information saying it was the teen, Molloy stated they have been made conscious of the report being launched Thursday and had entry to a household help workforce member.

Molloy stated since the toxicology report simply got here again, they do not know the way a lot meth was in the father’s system. While meth can impression a driver’s efficiency, it is too early to say if it was an element in this crash.

Several groups are working to find out what occurred, together with a technical reconstructionist making an attempt to find out the pace of each autos and a survival issue specialist working to search out out if these in the crash have been carrying seatbelts or if any have been thrown from the autos.

Upon preliminary investigation, Molloy stated the left entrance tire had sustained the most injury. Because of that, the path of the autos and the catastrophic nature of the crash, it was initially believed the tire was the trigger.

However, the wheel was despatched to a lab to be evaluated and no proof of any kind of catastrophic failure was discovered.

“We then had the wheel sent to our NTSB research and engineering lab and our materials lab,” Molloy stated. “That office did a comprehensive evaluation of that wheel, and based on their evaluation of the wheel, they found no evidence of catastrophic failure.”

Molloy stated the investigation section for the crash is beginning to wind down. A dedication of possible trigger for the crash might be launched at a later date when the ultimate report is accomplished.

The crash remains to be below investigation and information is topic to vary as the NTSB continues its investigation.