A Navy Serviceman stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms was killed Friday (April 1) in a fatal collision on Interstate 10. According to a California Highway Patrol Press Release, the collision occurred on April 1, around 12:30 p.m., when the 31-year-old United States Navy serviceman, who was driving a Kia Sportage crashed into a stopped semi-trailer.
The collision occurred when a 2019 Freightliner towing a 53-foot semi-trailer had stopped in the #4 lane of Interstate 10 westbound, east of Beaumont Avenue, for stopped traffic. The Kia Sportage driven by the serviceman was traveling at an unknown speed in the #4 lane and was approaching the stopped tractor towing the semi-trailer. The driver of the Kia allegedly failed to stop for the stopped traffic in front of him. The front end of the Kia crashed into the rear end of the semi-trailer. As a result of the collision, the driver of the Kia suffered blunt force head trauma and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Kia’s identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The driver of the Kia was from Burgaw, North Carolina, and was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms. This collision is still under investigation. If anyone has additional information about this collision, they are encouraged to contact Officer K. McCallum at the San Gorgonio Pass Area CHP office (951) 769-2000.
