Maddalyn Dailey and Isabell DeLang had just begun their senior year when a three-vehicle collision killed them Friday night.
VICTORVILLE, CA — Two teenage best friends who had just started their senior year of high school were killed in a violent three-vehicle crash in Victorville, and authorities were searching for a driver who fled the scene, according to the California Highway Patrol and local reporting.
Maddalyn Dailey, 17, of Victorville and Isabell DeLang, 16, of Hesperia died after the Acura TL they were traveling in collided with a Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Charger on Ridgecrest Road near Elmwood Drive on Friday, Aug. 14. The crash was reported at about 8:34 p.m. Authorities said the Charger and Camaro had been traveling north on Ridgecrest Road at a high rate of speed before the collision.
CHP said the Acura entered the intersection from Elmwood Drive and was attempting to make a left turn when the three vehicles collided. The impact caused severe damage to the Acura and killed both girls at the scene. The Camaro also caught fire. Another person was critically injured and taken to a hospital, according to local reports. Authorities have not released an updated condition for that person.
Investigators have examined whether the Camaro and Charger may have been racing before the collision. Early CHP incident information and witness accounts raised that possibility, but authorities had not publicly confirmed street racing as the cause of the crash. Family members have described the collision as preventable and have called for accountability while the investigation continues.
The driver of the Dodge remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, according to CHP information reported by NBC Los Angeles. NBC reported that the driver was later arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter. Authorities had not publicly released that driver’s name. An arrest is an allegation and does not establish guilt.
The driver of the Camaro left the scene and remained unaccounted for as of the latest public reporting. Authorities had not released a detailed description of the person. The continuing search has become a central part of the investigation as the families of Dailey and DeLang ask for information that could help investigators determine what happened before the crash.
Dailey’s father, Dustin Dailey, told NBC Los Angeles that his daughter had planned to take Isabell home and return for dinner. He said he heard the garage door close and then, within about a minute, heard the crash. Dailey said he immediately feared something had happened because of concerns about the intersection.
Isabell’s mother, Megan DeLand, told the station that she was struggling with the sudden loss of her daughter. She had recently received Isabell’s senior portraits. Fundraisers created for both families said the teenagers had just started their senior year and described them as close friends with plans for the future. One fundraiser identified Maddalyn as a senior at Sultana High School.
The crash has also renewed attention among relatives and residents to traffic conditions along Ridgecrest Road. Dustin Dailey told NBC Los Angeles that the intersection lacks traffic signals. Authorities have not announced that roadway design caused the crash, and investigators have not released a final determination on speed, racing or other possible contributing factors.
The California Highway Patrol’s Victorville Station continues to investigate the collision and search for the Camaro driver. No final findings on the cause of the crash had been released, and authorities had not announced additional arrests as of the latest verified reporting.
Author note: Last updated August 18, 2026.