The Marine Corps has launched the names of the 2 victims of Wednesday's lethal car rollover as authorities start to disclose extra details about what precipitated the lethal crash that led to fees in opposition to a Marine driving close to Camp Lejeune.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol mentioned that the medium tactical car alternative (MTVR) -- usually referred to as a "7-ton" -- that the Marines have been in rolled over close to the intersection of North Carolina Highway 210 and U.S. Highway 17, ejecting the 17 Marines who have been "in the back area of the vehicle."
"A second military vehicle being operated behind the initial vehicle was unable to come to a stop and struck one of the ejected passengers," the assertion added.
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The Marine Corps, in a press release launched Friday, recognized the 2 Marines who misplaced their lives as Lance Cpl. Jonathan Gierke, 19, and Pfc. Zachary Riffle, 18.
Both males, who have been pronounced useless on the scene, had been within the Corps lower than a 12 months, having entered energetic responsibility in March 2021.
The state company mentioned that the motive force of the overturned car, 19-year-old Luis Ponce Barrera of Springfield, Tennessee, was charged with one rely of exceeding a secure velocity and two counts of misdemeanor dying by motorcar.
A Marine Corps spokesman, 1st Lt. Kevin Stapleton, confirmed {that a} lance corporal by that title was the motive force, however directed questions in regards to the investigation to the State Highway Patrol.
Sgt. Marcus Bethea from the State Highway Patrol mentioned that Barrera was one of many 17 Marines taken to a hospital after the crash the place he was "charged by way of uniform citation."
According to the assertion saying the names of the 2 Marines who perished, Gierke was from Lawrenceville, Georgia, whereas Riffle was from Kingwood, West Virginia. Both Marines have been touchdown assist specialists with Combat Logistics Battalion 24.
"My sincerest heartfelt condolences are extended to the family, friends, and colleagues of the Marines who lost their lives or were injured in Wednesday's vehicle mishap," Brig. Gen. Forrest C. Poole III, the commanding common of 2nd Marine Logistics Group, mentioned within the assertion.
Criminal fees in car accidents incidents are usually not uncommon. In 2015, Cpl. Bin Guo pleaded responsible to negligent murder and reckless driving with damage earlier than a navy choose. Guo was driving a 7-ton at Camp Pendleton, California, when he took a flip too quick, skidded off the highway, and slammed into {an electrical} pole. The incident left one Marine useless and 18 others injured, some critically.
In 2020, a employees sergeant was convicted of negligent murder and sentenced to 3 years of confinement for rolling a truck and killing a West Point cadet.
Some security advocates, nevertheless, argue that specializing in charging the motive force misses the bigger, extra systemic problems with tradition and security that always result in accidents like this.
Michael McDowell, a fellow at a Washington, D.C., suppose tank, has lengthy argued that navy leaders have to be held accountable. McDowell's son, 1st Lt. H. Conor McDowell, 24, was killed in a rollover at Camp Pendleton on May 9, 2019.
"I think it is all very well to charge a 19-year-old driver but where is the chain of command and flag officer class in this?" McDowell instructed Military.com in an electronic mail.
"They set the standards on training and safety and they blame down," he added.
Bethea mentioned that the State Highway Patrol will examine the deadly rollover and that "a publicly available crash report will be available at the conclusion of the investigation."
However, he did word that "fatal crash investigations are lengthy and require an extensive approval process ... it will likely be several weeks before the crash report is available."
Stapleton mentioned that the Corps is conducting its personal investigation on the incident.
The Marine Corps introduced that two Marines are nonetheless on the New Hanover Regional Medical Center in secure situation -- upgraded from crucial two days in the past. One Marine stays on the Naval Medical Center at Camp Lejeune, additionally in secure situation.
The remaining 14 Marines who have been injured "have been discharged from medical care and have returned to their parent commands."
-- Konstantin Toropin will be reached at konstantin.toropin@navy.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.
Related: Two Marines Are Dead, 17 Injured in Truck Rollover in North Carolina. Driver Charged.
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