Mum and daughters, 16 and 20, killed in California crash with car going in wrong direction

Mum and daughters, 16 and 20, killed in California crash with car going in wrong direction Vanessa Wetmore, 41, and daughters Kylie, 20, and Kloie, 16, were driving home from a concert when they were hit by a car going in the wrong direction on a busy California highway A mum and her two daughters have been killed after their car was struck by a wrong-way driver before bursting into flames on a busy highway. Vanessa Wetmore, 41, Kylie, 20, and Kloie, 16, were heading home from a concert to celebrate Kloie's upcoming birthday when the tragedy unfolded. The teenager's birthday was just four days away, falling on the same day as her brother Seth, 16. The family were travelling along California's Highway 99 near Bakersfield shortly after midnight on Sunday, August 16, when a BMW travelling in the wrong direction collided with their Honda. They were all pronounced dead at the scene. Kylie was driving, with her mum and younger sister travelling as passengers. The California Highway Patrol said a 2019 BMW 530i was heading north in the southbound lanes, with the collision also involving a 2022 Chevrolet Colorado. The Wetmore family's Honda became engulfed in flames before emergency services arrived at the scene, north of Seventh Standard Road, and pronounced them dead. The police patrol later identified the driver of the BMW as 44-year-old Jamie Rodriguez, of Tulare. He suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital, while two people travelling in the Chevrolet sustained minor injuries. Investigators are continuing to establish how the BMW ended up travelling against traffic, including where it entered the highway and whether drugs or alcohol played a role. No criminal charges have so far been filed in connection with the crash. A GoFundMe launched to cover funeral expenses and support Seth has raised $87,084 (£64,500) from more than 960 donations. An update shared by organiser Dale Schoettler said the support would allow Seth to focus on grieving without worrying about his immediate future. "We truly cannot put into words how grateful we are for the incredible amount of love and support that has been shown to our family," Dale wrote. "Because of all of you, Seth will be able to give his family the services they deserve and honor Vanessa, Kloie and Kylie in the way they deserve to be honoured. "That alone takes an enormous weight off his shoulders during a time when he should not have to worry about anything other than grieving and being surrounded by the people who love him." The family hope the fundraiser will give Seth some stability as he faces a future without his mum and sisters. Dale added: "There is no amount of money that can make any of this okay, but the support this community has given Seth and his family means more than we could ever explain." Vanessa, Kylie and Kloie had travelled to Fresno to see Thee Sacred Souls, La Lom and The Womack Sisters perform as an early celebration of Kloie's 17th birthday. The fundraiser said: "What should have been a weekend filled with memories and a celebration of Kloie turning 17 has instead left a family trying to comprehend the loss of a mother and her two daughters all at once. "There are simply no words for the magnitude of this loss or for what this family is facing in the days, weeks, and months ahead." It added: "Vanessa, Kloie, and Kylie were so much more than the three lives mentioned in a news story. They were a mom, daughters, sisters, family and friends who were deeply loved and who should have made it home that night." Kloie was a senior at Centennial High School in Bakersfield and a member of its Golden Hawks softball team. Paying tribute to the teenager following her death, the team said: "Her presence on and off the field will never be forgotten. Kloie will forever be a Golden Hawk."