The recent Texas winter storm left an Arizona volleyball player dead after a fatal crash on February 3, right before 9 p.m.
The victim and other teenage girls, players for Venom Volleyball, were traveling in an SUV from their hometown in Arizona to Texas to play in a tournament at the Austin Convention Center.
According to an accident report, the SUV, carrying seven people, was driving along Highway 377 near Junction, Texas, when the driver lost control after hitting a patch of black ice and struck an 18-wheeler head-on.
The girl died at the crash scene. Six other people, two of which are players, were taken to Kimble Hospital for medical care.
Both players remain in critical condition.
The accident report also states that only the driver and front-seat passenger were wearing a seatbelt during the wreck.
Because the inclement weather associated with the winter storm had resulted in the cancellation of many flights, the players’ parents had chosen to drive them to Austin for the tournament.
Jimmy Gonzalez, the owner of Venom Volleyball, expressed that he would not have allowed the players to travel if he thought it would present any risks.
“The road conditions at the time indicated that everything was perfectly fine,” Gonzalez said. “If the road conditions were already [presenting] any kind of danger, we would have said no. We would have canceled, pulled out, and told everybody to come home. It’s important for everyone to understand that we have to do our due diligence and make sure safety is the top priority in everything we do.”
Ultimately, the Venom Volleyball team withdrew from the tournament following the accident.
During the tournament on February 5, other volleyball players paid their respects for the victim’s loss and signed a memorial.
The team has created a GoFundMe to cover the funeral, traveling, and medical costs. They appreciate everyone’s help during this difficult time.
“Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and financial support. We are already feeling the love and support from our volleyball community near and far.”
