Posted on 01/04/2006 10:25:41 PM PST by dbandit
RANCHO BERNARDO ---- Two people died and an estimated 14 to 20 more Marine personnel were hurt when two military vehicles went over the side of southbound Interstate 15 bringing traffic to a halt Wednesday, authorities said.
The collision happened at 7:19 p.m. on I-15 just south of West Bernardo Drive, California Highway Patrol Officer Larry Landeros said.
A Camp Pendleton spokesman said the vehicles were from the 1st Marine Division stationed at Twenty-nine Palms. Further information was not available, he said.
One large transport-type military vehicle towing another carrying military personnel struck the center divide and then went about 100 feet off the side of the right shoulder, Landeros said.
The fire department was called to help rescue personnel. A San Diego Fire helicopter was being called to the scene to help transport injured personnel to hospitals.
Traffic ground to a halt as fire engines, ambulances and CHP officers handled the scene.
Military personnel with weapons were standing around the perimeter. A mile south of the crash, two similar vehicles were pulled over and parked on the right shoulder.
Oh my, how lovely and gracious of you to think of the survivors as they must carry forward.
Blessings be on you.
These guys were in my son's unit. My son was in a serious automobile accident in CO on 12/17, on his way home from CA for the holidays, spent a week in Denver hospital, home recuperating. He is devastated.... says "I was supposed to be there with them...".. The medic was one of his best friends. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS
I don't know how to console your son on the loss of his friend, except to honor his memory. He had served this country and was ready to serve again. He did more for humanity in his young life than several others do in long lives. He is a hero, however he died.
NEMDF, do you know about the Canteen here on Free Republic? We honor the troops AND their families. I was so glad last Sunday to hear Gen. Peter Pace say that the families sacrifice every bit as much as the troops. It's true. God bless you, your son and your family. I pray he fully recovers from his injuries.
Ping to a sad accident here in CA.
"2 Marines Dead After Crash on I-15
Authorities are investigating a crash that killed two Marines and injured two other servicemembers when a pair of military vehicles overturned on Interstate 15. The driver of a light-armored vehicle was towing another military vehicle when he lost control, [California Highway Patrol Officer Mark] Gregg said.
Both vehicles struck a concrete wall and overturned, and two Marines were thrown through the vehicle's roof hatch and over the side of the overcrossing, falling approximately 70 feet."
link at http://www.fox6.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=24596142-2FD6-43C2-9062-2AC9618E3407
I can't believe it. I drive this exact route everyday. Military convoys are occasionally seen, always in the right lane, so hitting the center divider doesn't make sense, unless it was after the driver lost control. Why did the driver lose control? I can only guess, but the lanes are a couple feet narrower through this stretch, the traffic opens up a little at this point just south of a narrower bridge over Lake Hodges, and I see people drift across the bot dots all the time.
CalTrans in their infinite wisdom has been working to widen the opening to the traffic funnel that leads to this exact point both north- and southbound, and waited to start widening the base of the funnel until recently when as many cars as possible crowd in there. BTW: the new lanes look like they're basically done, but since the bridges haven't been widened yet, the concrete barriers are up and there are no shoulders here. Tragic, and makes me really mad.
Thanks for telling your personal connection to the military history in CA. By the way, you moved to another beautiful state, eh? IMO, Californians get addicted to natural beauty!
Coincidentally, my father died in '71 also. He worked over 30 years for Douglas Aircraft, starting during WWII, here at what is now Santa Monica Airport. My mother went to work there also during the war and that is where they met and hence created me.
I haven't been out to Camp Pendleton either, but my impression is it's the biggest military facility in SoCal. The Marines based here have had more than their share of tragedies, so this one is painful. They expect they could die in that desert "over there," but not the one here...
This was breaking news just as I was going to bed last night. Unbelievable, the last thing we expect, but I guess deployment is not the only dangerous environment for them...
God bless our Marines.
Stay on this; you may find out something yet.
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