Victim’s Father Slams The Father Of 13-Year-Old Boy He Let Drive Truck That Killed 7

The father of a college golfer who was killed in a Texas crash that claimed nine lives had slammed the 13-year-old’s father for allowing the young boy to drive the pickup truck, which caused the fatal collision.

Ricky Siemens, 13, was driving the truck that veered into a bus full of University of the Southwest golfers, killing himself, his father, six members of the golf team, and their coach. 

Heinrich Siemens, 38, allowed his 13-year-old son to get behind the wheels of the pickup truck.

Gary Raines, who is the father of Karisa Raines, one of the college golfers who died in the crash said, “That is the very picture of lunacy — to allow a 13-year-old behind the wheel of a pickup traveling down the road at 70 miles per hour at night. That has got to be the zenith of lunacy.”

Gary said his 21-year-old daughter was two months away from graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the University. Karisa was in the USW van that was carrying members of both men’s and women’s golf teams when the 13-year-old boy lost control of the truck when a tire blew out, causing it to collide with the college van. 

“The 13-year-old’s dad [Henrich Siemens] was guilty of not only stupidity and lunacy, but he was also guilty of child abuse, in my opinion. Do I blame the kid for the wreck — I do not. Do I blame the father for the wreck, I do not. I blame the father for not having better sense.” Gary continued, “I must tell you that my prayers are with the family of that [13-year-old] child. My prayers are with all of those who lost their lives because we’re not the only family that’s grieving right now. There’s a bunch of folks who are grieving and they all deserve our prayers,” Raines added.

Chelsi Stone, the mother of Laci Stone, another victim, and golfer who also died in the crash, said she doesn’t know what to think after learning it was a 13-year-old behind the wheel of the truck that killed her daughter.

Chelsi said, “Everything happens for a reason. It’s just a very unfortunate accident. I’m not going to blame anybody for a decision they made. In the moment, they obviously didn’t know what would happen, so I can’t focus too much on that part of it right now.” 

The 13-year-old, identified as Ricky by those close to him, was remembered on social media by his mother, Agatha Siemens.

During an interview with the Post, his mother disclosed that on the night of the fatal accident, her husband and son were going to pick up a truck her husband had purchased.

She also said that there had been a memorial fund created for both her husband and son that was set up at First United Bank under her name.

Ricky was also responsible for a fire that burned down the family’s home three months ago before the crash.