On Sunday, August 2nd, officials with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit identified eight out of the 16 servicemen involved in an amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) training accident in Southern California. The victims, who were presumed dead at the time of the press release, include Pfc. Bryan J. Baltierra, 19, of Corona, a rifleman.
Lance Cpl. Marco A. Barranco, 21, of Montebello, a rifleman, U.S. Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem, 22, of Stockton, a hospital corpsman, and Cpl. Cesar A. Villanueva, 21, of Riverside, a rifleman. Others are Pfc. Evan A. Bath, 19, of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, a rifleman, and Pfc. Jack Ryan Ostrovsky, 21, of Bend, Oregon, a rifleman.
Have you or a loved one been involved in an accident? Speak to a lawyer for a free no obligation consultation
Or call us at (888) 699-7975
The release also mentioned Cpl. Wesley A. Rodd, 23, of Harris, Texas, a rifleman, and Lance Cpl. Chase D. Sweetwood, 19, of Portland, Oregon, a rifleman. The victims were all members of the Bravo Company.
The officials added that Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, a rifleman with Bravo, died at the scene before getting transported by helicopter to Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego. Five service members survived, while two sustained injuries and received treatment at Scripps Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
The AAV accident occurred on Thursday, July 30th, near San Clemente Island. The initial accident report stated that the Marine members were conducting shore-to-ship waterborne operations when their vehicle started taking water. The cause of the incident remains unknown, and the investigation continues.
Disclaimer: The Safety Watch article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.
The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Safety Watch’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.