Driver, 11, Dies In California Road Smash

An 11-year-old boy died alongside his mother and sister when the car he was driving jumped a light and was hit by another vehicle. Skip related content
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Police are investigating why Jose Manuel Silva Covarrubias was at the wheel of the Honda in Porterville, California.

California Highway Patrol Officer Stefanie Buck said investigators were waiting to speak to the car's lone survivor.

"For whatever reason the 11-year-old didn't stop at the stop sign, and drove the Honda into the path of the Ford," Buck said.
"It's a tragedy any way you look at it."

His sister, Elizabeth Silva Covarrubias, aged six, and their mother, Maria Covarrubias, 30, both of Woodville, near Porterville, were killed.

Neither mother nor daughter was wearing a seatbelt and both were thrown from the back seat.

Family friend Froylon Gonzalez was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Gonzalez, 34, of Woodville, was wearing his seatbelt in the passenger seat when the crash happened at a rural intersection.

His brother, Felipe Zamora Gonzalez, said the family was returning from Jose's soccer team practice and said he had never seen Jose drive before.

Police said the boy was driving a 1993 Honda when he went through the stop sign and was hit side on by the other vehicle.

Dondreia Bradley, the superintendent of Woodville Union School District, said she was "stunned" to hear Jose had been behind the wheel.

He came from "a wonderful family" with a supportive mother, she said.

very very sad, but why the hell is a kid driving

with two adults in the car why was the child driving

shocking wot the feck was ge driving for.