A 16-year-old resident of Louisiana was driving a tractor trailer when he was involved in a trucking accident that killed two Texas women.
Tristan Martin, from the city of Sulphur, Louisiana, was driving a Volvo semi truck while pulling a trailer full of horses. He and his father were in the cab, on their way to Wyoming to compete in a rodeo. Around 6:30 am on Saturday the 14th, while driving on Colorado’s Highway 70, he struck two women who were at the side of the road changing a tire on their vehicle. The women were identified as 38-year-old Amanda Omo-Iyamu, from Balch Springs, Texas and 48-year-old Shun Jones of Carrollton, Texas. The women were cousins who were in Colorado to visit family at the time of the accident.
Tristan’s father, Michael Martin, initially told the police that he had been driving the semi during the accident, and Tristan left the scene. Tristan was later arrested and charged. He faces two felony counts of leaving the scene of a deadly accident, and one count of reckless driving causing death, a misdemeanor. The father faces a misdemeanor count of false reporting because of his trying to take blame for the accident instead of his son.
Tristan was traveling to Rock Springs, Wyoming with his father to compete in the National High School Finals Rodeo, according to Lydia Martin, Tristan’s aunt.
“We are praying for that family, and we are truly sorry. It is a disaster, a nightmare, and our hearts go out to them,” Lydia Martin said.
Martin’s age and license were initially a concern in the matter, but these issues have been dismissed. No special license is needed for a single-axle vehicle pulling a trailer, which is the category the Martins’ truck falls under.
There is no word yet on when court proceedings will take place for the case.