Orange County Boy Killed Watching Off-Road Race In Mexico

SAN CLEMENTE (CBSLA.com) — A San Clemente youth pastor and his family mourned the death of their 8-year-old son killed while watching the Baja 500 off-road race in Mexico over the weekend.

Xander Hendriks was killed Saturday when a truck flew off a dirt road and barreled toward a group of spectators in Ensenada.

The boy and his mother, Melissa, were among the three people who were struck. She suffered head and leg injuries and is being treated in an Orange County hospital.

Xander's two brothers and father, Brandon Hendriks, a youth pastor at Pacific Coast Church, were not hurt.

The family was in Mexico visiting friends. They were about to leave the event just as the truck rounded the corner and crashed.

A photo of Brandon and his two brothers was posted on the family's gofundme page. On Facebook, church members offered their prayers and condolences.

The Hendricks family said Xander loved to attend church and often served as a translator on mission trips to Mexico with his father.

Roger Norman, CEO and president of Score International, which ran the race, also offered his sympathy on a Facebook page.

The statement said: "On behalf of the SCORE International family of staff and volunteers, I want to express my deepest sadness and send sincere condolences to the family, friends and everyone impacted by the tragic accidents."