A California father witnessed a horrific scene when his teenage daughter and her best friend were killed in a high-speed car crash in Victorville. Maddalyn Dailey, 17, and Isabell Hill, 16, died Friday night when their Acura was struck by a yellow Chevrolet Camaro and a black Dodge Charger at the intersection of Elmwood Drive and Ridgecrest Road.
Maddalyn's father, Dustin Dailey, heard the impact from his home just four houses away. He told The Los Angeles Times that he saw "everything: the ball of fire from the other car that hit it, her car in pieces." The girls were ejected from their vehicle, which split in half upon impact, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
Authorities are investigating whether the drivers of the Camaro and Charger were racing at the time of the collision. A witness reported that both vehicles appeared to be speeding moments before the crash. The driver of the Dodge Charger was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. The identity of the Charger driver has not been released. The driver of the Camaro reportedly fled the scene, leaving behind a juvenile passenger who was later reunited with a parent. Law enforcement is actively searching for the hit-and-run driver.
Dustin Dailey described Ridgecrest Road as a "deathtrap," citing a lack of protected intersections and a dip that can obscure approaching vehicles. He noted that street racing has been a recurring issue in the area, with Victorville police having warned about the problem in 2021 after arresting teenagers accused of racing at high speeds on the same road. Dailey also attributed the danger to the area's rapid growth, which has increased traffic on roads that have not kept pace with development.
He plans to advocate for a traffic signal at the intersection and for the stretch of road to be designated a safety corridor with increased enforcement and fines.
Maddalyn Dailey is remembered by her father as compassionate and devoted to helping others. Isabell Hill was described in an online fundraiser as "beautiful inside and out, sweet, funny, silly, smart, strong in her faith, and deeply loved by everyone fortunate enough to know her."
As of four days after the crash, Dailey expressed disbelief at being a parent who has lost a child, describing the experience of seeing his daughter's preserved belongings as akin to scenes from movies about grieving parents. Maddalyn's bedroom door was marked with a Bible verse: Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight." Dailey intends to have the verse tattooed on himself.
