A military jury acquitted a Marine in the January 2022 fatal rollover of a 7-ton truck at the intersection of Highway 210 and U.S. 17, near Camp Lejeune.
In a court martial that concluded last week, Marine Corps Times is reporting the Lance Cpl. Luis Ponce-Barrera was found not guilty on all counts.
Witnesses testified that Ponce-Barrera had never driven a 7-ton with a mounted turret until that day, and he didn’t receive rollover training until a month after the crash.
According to testimony, Ponce-Barrera didn’t even have a driver’s license when he arrived at Camp Lejeune, only a learner’s permit.
All the passengers in the back of the vehicle were ejected. Pfc. Zachary Riffle and Lance Cpl. Jonathan Gierke were killed and 17 other Marines were injured.