Marine Killed While Stopping to Help Crashed Driver
LOMA LINDA (CBSLA.com) – A Marine stationed in 29 Palms was struck and killed while stopping to assist a suspected drunken driver following a rollover crash in Loma Linda early Monday morning.
The victim was identified to CBS2/KCAL9 by his parents as 29-year-old Enrico Rojo. He was on his way to Los Angeles International Airport with his fiancée when they came upon a crash at around 1:30 a.m. on Interstate 10, east of Mountain View Avenue.
According to California Highway Patrol, a Toyota Matrix traveling west on I-10 had struck a semi-truck while changing lanes. The Matrix rolled and came to rest in traffic. Rojo stopped to render aid to the driver of the Toyota, 22-year-old Crystal Adrianna Martinez.
Meanwhile, a 2017 Hyundai Sonata approached the crash scene, and, as it veered to avoid the Matrix, hit Rojo, CHP reports.
The driver of the Sonata, Alexander Petricevic, stopped and called 911. Firefighters responded to find Rojo being held by his fiancée. He was pronounced dead at scene, CHP said.
Rojo's parents told KCAL9's Crystal Cruz that their son served a tour in Afghanistan, during which he survived an IED explosion. Rojo and his fiancée were flying out to to Texas to visit them for the holidays.
Martinez was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. CHP did not report any other serious injuries.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.