A U.S. Navy Sailor assigned to the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident near the U.S. 7th Fleet’s naval base in Japan on Thursday night.
Base spokesman Randall Baucom told Stars and Stripes Friday that the incident occurred near Womble Gate, the southeast entrance of the base, when the Sailor’s motorcycle collided with a vehicle operated by a U.S. government civilian.
Detailed accounts provided to Stars and Stripes by the Kanagawa Prefectural Police noted that around 10 p.m., on Route 16 in Yokosuka, the Sailor approached the car from behind on its right. After the collision, the Sailor was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead at 11:17 p.m.
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TV Asahi aired a report on Friday which gave viewers a glimpse into the aftermath of the accident scene, including the damaged motorcycle and a white passenger car. The news segment identified the Sailor as a young foreigner who, following the impact, rolled under the vehicle.
Although the names of both the Sailor and the civilian involved have been kept confidential due to the Navy’s policies, it was confirmed that the Sailor served aboard the Ronald Reagan.
After approximately three months at sea, the USS Ronald Reagan made its return to Yokosuka on the same Friday morning. Baucom refrained from commenting on the reason behind the Sailor’s absence from the aircraft carrier during its return.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Sailor’s family, friends and shipmates during this time,” Baucom told Stars and Stripes. “The accident is under investigation by local Japanese authorities with the support of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.”
This news article was partially created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited and fact-checked by a human editor.
