Popular teen YouTuber responsible for deadly wrong-way crash

A deadly crash involving a sports car heading the wrong way on a highway near San Diego on Thursday was caused by a popular teenaged YouTube star, California authorities said Friday.

The YouTuber, named Trevor Heitmann but known as "McSkillet" to his 900,000 followers, was 18 years old. He was driving a $250,000 McLaren sports car at least 100 mph the wrong way on state Route 805 when he rammed his vehicle head on into an SUV carrying Aileen Pizarro, 43, and her 12-year-old daughter, Aryana.

Both cars burst into flames, and all three were killed. Subsequent collisions caused by the primary crash caused at least one serious injury.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Law enforcement are still investigating the crash. Heitmann was banned from a lucrative online video game marketplace where he made much of his fortune earlier this year, a development some of his followers believe is connected to his crash.

Aileen Pizarro was a marriage and family counselor who worked with children who were removed from dangerous homes. "She loved to work with them and tell them they were worth something," said her elder son, Dominic Pizarro. "She went out of her way to bring light to them in hopeless situations." Aryana would have started seventh grade on Monday. Bonnie Kristian

Editor's note: This article originally wrongly implied a clear motive behind Heitmann's actions. It has since been corrected. We regret the error.