A fiery crash in Victorville, California, has claimed the lives of 17-year-old Maddalyn Dailey and 16-year-old Isabell Hill, who were killed Friday evening when their vehicle was allegedly split in half by two speeding cars.
Maddalyn's father, Dustin Dailey, described the horrific scene he encountered shortly after hearing the collision. "I saw everything," Dailey told the Los Angeles Times. "The ball of fire from the other car that hit it, her car in pieces."
Dailey said his daughter had been driving Isabell home around 8:30 p.m. when her Acura was struck. According to Officer Jebediah Wheeler of the California Highway Patrol, the teenagers were first hit by a yellow Chevrolet Camaro and then by a black Dodge Charger. The impact caused the Acura to split in half, Wheeler said.
Maddalyn Dailey, 17, and Isabell Hill, 16, were killed on Friday at around 8.30pm at an intersection in Victorville
"They were ejected from [the car], thrown clear down the road," Dustin Dailey recounted. He rushed to the scene just four houses away to find the devastating aftermath.
Witnesses reported that the Camaro and Charger were speeding down Ridgecrest Road toward the intersection with Elmwood Drive before the collision. The driver of the Camaro reportedly fled the scene on foot, while a passenger, identified only as a minor, was left behind and later reunited with a parent. The driver of the Dodge Charger remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators.
The driver of the Camaro was said to have fled on foot, while the driver of the Dodge Charger remained on the scene and 'cooperated' with investigators
The driver of the Charger was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. The identities of the drivers have not yet been released.
Dustin Dailey, pictured with Maddalyn, said Ridgecrest Road has a deadly reputation for frequent street racing and speeding drivers
Dailey noted that Ridgecrest Road has a history of dangerous driving, to the point he often advised his daughter to take alternate routes. "She's usually pretty good about it because everybody that lives here knows that road is just a deathtrap," he said.
Street racing has been a persistent issue in Victorville. In 2021, the Victorville Police Department issued a statement urging caution regarding "speed contest" incidents, warning of the severe consequences, including loss of life, property damage, and jail time.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating whether drugs or alcohol were involved in Friday's collision, as well as the potential for street racing.
Dailey is considering petitioning for a traffic signal at the intersection and advocating for the road to be designated a safety corridor with increased law enforcement and penalties. He remembers his daughter and Isabell as fun-loving individuals with their lives ahead of them.