- Two teenage girls, 16-year-old Isabell DeLang and 17-year-old Maddalyn Dailey, were killed Friday night in a high-speed crash on Ridgecrest Road in Victorville.
- The force of the collision split their vehicle in half — both girls died at the scene.
- One driver was arrested for vehicular manslaughter, but the driver of a second vehicle fled and remains unaccounted for.
- Families are publicly pleading for help identifying the missing driver as authorities continue their investigation.
VICTORVILLE, California — A father heard the garage door close. Then, within seconds, he heard the impact.
Dustin Dailey knew immediately something was wrong. His 17-year-old daughter Maddalyn had just left the house to drop off her best friend Isabell DeLang, 16, before coming home for dinner.
Neither girl made it back.
What happened on Ridgecrest Road
The crash occurred Friday night at the intersection of Ridgecrest Road and Elmwood Drive.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a Dodge Charger and a Chevy Camaro were traveling at a high rate of speed when the girls’ Acura TL turned into the intersection.
All three vehicles collided. The impact was so severe that the Acura split completely in half.
Both Maddalyn and Isabell were killed at the scene.
One driver arrested, one still on the run
The driver of the Dodge Charger remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities. That individual was later arrested on charges of vehicular manslaughter. Their identity has not been released.
The driver of the Chevy Camaro fled immediately after the crash and has not been located.
Authorities have not released a detailed description of the missing driver. The search remains active.
Families left with unimaginable grief
Maddalyn’s father said his last words to his daughter were about what to make for dinner.
“She left,” he said. “I heard the garage door close, and within a minute, I heard the impact.”
He added that the intersection has long been dangerous, with no traffic signals to slow drivers down.
Isabell’s mother, Megan DeLand, said she is still struggling to accept that her daughter is gone. She had just received Isabell’s senior portraits in the mail when she got the news about the crash.
“Every day since it’s happened, it’s been a struggle to get through my day,” she said. “I haven’t been to work and haven’t left the house.”
Families are asking the public for help
Both families are urging anyone with information about the missing Camaro driver to come forward.
If you know anything about the crash or the driver who fled, contact Officer C. Jeffrey of the California Highway Patrol at 760-241-1186.
Two families are now planning funerals instead of futures. A father replays the sound of a garage door. A mother holds senior portraits of a daughter she will never see graduate.
If you saw anything that night — or know anything at all — please make the call.
What do you think local authorities should do to make intersections like this one safer for families in the community? Share your thoughts in the comments.