Two dead, more injured in military crash

[ECH1969]

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.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/01/05/news/breaking/20_33_371_4_06.txt

[JohnnyRingo]

1. Another two devastated families. Plus the wounded.....

Accidents happen, but only when our troops are taking risks.
Whether in training or combat, operating miltary equipment is a hazardous endeavor, but working in a hostile environment increases the value.

I wish them home.

[Make7]

2. I didn't quite understand why...

...they would be towing a vehicle with personnel in it on a freeway, but I just saw this article at www.latimes.com. Apparently one of them broke down, so they were towing it. But it looks like the reports are now saying the troops from the broken down vehicle were riding in the lead vehicle, not the towed one.

I work about 10 miles north of where the accident occurred, I left work at 8:30pm and had a strange feeling very shortly after getting on the freeway. Everyone seemed to be passing me by unusually quickly - felt different somehow, but not something you could quite put your finger on. Then a few miles later traffic came to a crawl - not common for that time of the day, but not unheard of. After about a minute traffic came to a complete stop. I actually shut my car off and just listened to my stereo. Something was very wrong - traffic rarely comes to a complete standstill. As I sat there, a few Highway Patrol cars went by on the shoulder, and then a heavy flatbed tractor-trailer. I've never seen that before in all the times I have spent in traffic jams.

When we started moving again, we came around a curve in the freeway and I could see up ahead for some distance. Never have I seen, first hand, that many emergency and law enforcement vehicles in one place before. I was still not close, but I knew that this was a fatal accident. As we came upon the scene, I could not see where exactly they were directing some very powerful lights off of the freeway, but I knew that was a very ominous sign. As I got close enough to start making out some details - I could not identify the vehicles I saw right away - it was not until I got even with them that I realized that they were what I thought were military APC's. It was surprising how unrecognizable they were. I have never seen one damaged like that before - it looked very out of place, part of it coming to rest on top of the bridge's concrete wall.

For quite a distance down the freeway, military vehicles were parked at the side of the road. This must be difficult to comprehend for the soldier - being trained for life and death situations on the battlefield, does not prepare one to lose fellow soldiers in a traffic accident. My heart goes out to the friends and family of those who have lost their lives tonight, and those that have been injured. The most difficult struggle for anyone involved will most likely be the driver, if he survived. May he find the strength to deal with this and carry on with his life.

:cry: Make7