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Published 15:55 20 Jan 2022 GMT
Two US Marines have been killed in a devastating crash in North Carolina.
A seven-ton military truck flipped over on the highway, tossing the marines riding in it onto the road where two were killed and a further 17 injured.
According to police reports, the incident occurred as the truck was trying to make a right turn off State Highway 210 onto US Highway 17 in Jacksonville around 1 PM on Wednesday, January 19.
The flipped vehicle was being followed by a second military truck that could not stop in time and struck one of the ejected passengers, WCTI-TV reported.
Two service members were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others in a critical condition were airlifted to New Hanover Regional Medical Centre in Wilmington.
Fortunately, the other 13 passengers' injuries were not critical, and they were reported to be in a stable condition once they had reached Naval Medical Center at Camp Lejeune.
According to a Marine Corps announcement, all the service members involved in the accident were based out of Camp Lejeune, and part of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group.
The teenage service member driving the flipped truck is allegedly facing charges for the incident.
Nineteen-year-old Louis Barrera was reportedly driving at an unsafe speed when he lost control of the 7-ton truck, usually used to transport troops and equipment.
Citing North Carolina State Highway Patrol, WRAL-TV said that Barrera could be charged with exceeding a safe speed and two counts of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.
However, it is not yet confirmed whether Barrera was speeding. Sergent Devin Rich of the Highway Patrol said they had not ascertained exactly how fast the truck was going when it flipped.
"We're conducting a thorough investigation involving our reconstruction unit along with our district troopers," he said, per MailOnline.
"They're in the process of doing the measurements needed to obtain a speed or approximate speed they were traveling. We do know it was a little too fast for the right turn they were attempting to make."
The speed limit on US Highway 17 where the crash occurred is 60mph.
