Humvee crushes a Marine to death during combat training
A training exercise at the Marine base in Twentynine Palms turned deadly after a Humvee rolled over and crushed a Marine to death, authorities said.
The Marine was rushed to the nearby Robert E. Bush Naval hospital after the accident Saturday, then medically evacuated to the Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he died, according to a statement by the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center on Facebook.
The name of the dead serviceman was expected to be released late Monday, after next of kin have been notified.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the Marine during this difficult time,” the Marines said.
It is unclear whether a vehicle malfunction or some other factor caused the lethal mishap; the cause of death is still under investigation. Humvees can weigh anywhere from 5 to 7 tons, the equivalent of a large adult elephant.
Two men beat Peter Chounthala, leaving him in the street before he was hit by a car, sheriff’s deputies say.
The incident happened during a routine training exercise meant to simulate a battle with live fire, which aims to improve combat readiness, according the U.S. Marines.
Vehicle rollovers are one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. military; in fact, CNN reported in 2019 that more U.S. military personnel die each year from training accidents than from combat. The Government Accountability Office studied tactical vehicle accidents over a nine-year period from 2010 and 2019, finding that “driver inattention, supervision lapses, and training shortfalls were common causes” of fatal rollovers.
Earlier this year, five Marines based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar died in a helicopter crash as they flew back from a routine training mission in Indian Springs, Nev.
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