A 27-year-old Marine from Riverside was killed early Friday in a single-car crash near the north end of Camp Pendleton, military officials said Saturday, Feb. 3.
The Marine has been identified as Sgt. John D. Wise III. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, said Capt. Paul Gainey.
Wise was found dead at 12:38 a.m. on southbound Cristianitos Road one mile outside Camp Pendleton’s Cristianitos Gate, according to reports from the California Highway Patrol and Camp Pendleton Fire Department.
It appeared he could have come off the off-ramp at Cristianitos headed toward Camp Pendleton, said CHP Public Safety Dispatcher Morrison.
The first reports came in from a passing motorist who reported seeing a silver Mazda 3 that may have struck a pole and was 50 feet down in the embankment, she said.
“Sgt. Wise died as a result of a single-vehicle crash,” Gainey said.
He said Wise was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials are investigating the accident.
Wise’s awards include the Navy Marine Corps Achievement Ribbon with one gold star, the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, the Navy Marine Corps Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Ribbon with one bronze star, the National Defense Service Medal Ribbon, the Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon, the Global War Terrorism Service Ribbon, the Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with three bronze stars and the NATO International Security Assistance Force Ribbon.
The awards show he served on multiple deployments.
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