On Wednesday, officials from the Marine Corps confirmed that one of the previously unidentified passengers in a car accident that claimed four lives on Saturday was a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton, California.
Press officials from the base reported that the fourth victim, Sergeant José Martínez, worked as a small arms technician for Combat Logistics Regiment 1, part of the Logistics Group from the First Marine Battalion.
The Marine Corps had already identified three other Marines stationed at the Southern California base who died in the accident: Sergeant Daniel Nichols, Corporal Rodrigo Zermeno Gomez Jr., and Gunnery Sergeant Joshua Moore Jr.
The accident, involving a single vehicle, occurred around 2:30 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
The four Marines died after their 2018 Dodge Charger crashed into a barrier on a highway in Downey, California, a city south of Los Angeles.
According to California Highway Patrol officials, the car was torn apart upon impact, flipped, and caught fire.
"Preliminary information indicates that the driver lost control of the vehicle at a high speed, causing the collision with a guardrail and the pedestrian overpass wall on Lemoran Avenue," the California Highway Patrol stated in a press release to KTLA-TV.
Nichols, a 26-year-old ammunition specialist from Texas, enlisted in 2017. He, Gomez Jr., and Martínez served in the same unit.
Nichols' service commendations included the National Defense Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, two Marine Corps and Navy Achievement Medals, two Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, an Expeditionary Global War on Terrorism Medal, and a Letter of Commendation.
Gomez Jr., a 21-year-old maintenance management specialist from Arizona, enlisted in August 2020.
His commendations included the National Defense Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Moore Jr., 27, enlisted in 2014 and worked as an ammunition chief for the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
His commendations included the National Defense Service Medal, two Marine Corps and Navy Achievement Medals, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, two Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and a Letter of Commendation.
Law enforcement authorities stated that they are still investigating the exact cause of the accident.
Originally posted at Liga Legal®
